Once the holiday season hits and the weather starts plummeting, many people start spending more time indoors. Conventional wisdom has it that spring and summer are for outdoor sports and activities, and the winter months are for staying inside. But for children, staying indoors all winter wastes valuable opportunities to develop good habits and get beneficial exercise. Backyard Adventures of Iowa, a backyard playset company based in Urbandale, shares a few of the greatest benefits of outdoor play in winter.

Top 3 Reasons to Play Outside in Winter

1. Exercise & Muscle Development

Spending time playing outside—participating in sports, making snowmen, enjoying a backyard playset—gives young children a chance to cultivate their fine motor skills. It’s experiences like these that develop their hand-eye coordination over the course of childhood. In addition, outdoor exercise helps them develop muscles that would be ignored if they stayed indoors all winter, watching television or playing video games.

2. Vitamin D

It’s important to remember that even during the winter, sun exposure can provide crucial health benefits, including facilitating calcium absorption and helping build strong bones. Plus, as many adults know, the sun’s Vitamin D can have a major impact on a person’s mood because of its effect on serotonin levels.

3. Immune System

People often say that going outside in the cold is how you get sick, but the opposite is just as often true. During cold snaps, germs and bacteria take refuge indoors. Exposing children to the brisk, fresh outdoor air actually helps strengthen their immune system, prepping them to repel viruses.

Backyard Adventures of Iowa is greater Urbandale’s top destination for backyard playsets and outdoor recreation equipment. The showroom boasts some of the best outdoor recreational products around, including basketball hoops, swing sets, and patio furniture. Visit the family-friendly retailer’s website to see their 2017 outdoor catalog, or call the team directly at (515) 270-2433.