

Underprivileged children may not have the same level of parental support or access to proper nutrition and a safe environment at home. Underprivileged kids and those with special needs may be suffering (and acting out) the most.

Global studies on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown found that children and young adults have exhibited pandemic-related stress in a few ways: With a bit of planning, the benefits for your child’s overall well-being and development far outweigh the drawbacks.Ĭhildren’s Mental Health and Playing Outdoors There are plenty of reasons families need to step out of their comfort zones to reconnect with sunshine, sand, soil, and friends. However, some kids (and adults) may be struggling with whether it’s safe to play outside again. The weather is warming up, and COVID-19 restrictions are lifting. It’s the perfect time to encourage kids to explore the outdoors. In most cases, the best way to conquer hyper-reliance on screens and beat the indoor blues is by putting devices away and getting back outside.

Coronavirus lockdowns have made matters worse, forcing even the most active kids to stay indoors.Īs a parent, guardian or childcare provider, you may have noticed that the abrupt change to children’s daily habits has made it challenging to curb device overload. Unfortunately, the average amount of unstructured outdoor playtime for most children has been four to seven minutes per day, pre-pandemic. Outdoor time for kids is an essential part of their development.
