How Much Outdoor Time Should Toddlers Have?

Recommendations

• While the American Academy of Pediatrics does not make any official recommendations for the amount of time a toddler should be outdoors, it does state in its journal "Pediatrics" that toddlers should engage in 60 minutes of physical activity each day, and that toddlers should be encouraged and allowed to develop an enjoyment of the outdoors through outdoor activity. Louv states that parents should allow their toddlers to spend as much time as possible participating in outdoor activities.

Benefits

• According to Clayton Early Learning, time spent outdoors is an important part of cognitive development during the early childhood years. Brain synapses form rapidly during the first three years, and a rich and stimulating environment promotes the formation of these synapses. The National Wildlife Federation states that outdoor play encourages physical activity and healthy emotional development. Being outdoors also improves distance vision and lowers the chance of nearsightedness. According to a study detailed in the September 2004 issue of the "American Journal of Health," symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are reduced when children spend time engaging in outdoor activities.

Activities

• Visit the neighborhood park and supervise your child as he enjoys the swings and slides, where he can improve his gross motor skills while he is at it. Take your toddler berry picking at a local farm. Give him his own flowerpot, allowing him to pick what he would like to grow in it and helping him to water and care for the plant. Go on a nature hunt -- being careful not to let him touch any plants that might be irritating to his skin -- and help him maintain a rock collection. Take him camping and for short hikes or walks around the block.

Rain or Snow

• Try to get your toddler outdoors every day -- even when the weather is less than ideal. Pull on rain boots and jump in puddles on a rainy day or build a snowman and create snow angels during the winter. Lather on the sunscreen and plan a day at the pool when it seems too hot to do anything else. In cases of extreme weather -- when it is dangerous to take your little one outside -- be sure to make sure she is getting plenty of physical activity indoors.