Freedom, movement and space - gross motor development in a field

There is nothing quite like being in the fresh air. There are so many proven benefits to being outdoors, whatever the weather. 

I remember being a child and I loved nothing more than being allowed to run in a wide-open space. I was keeping active and healthy, exercising my imagination and learning about nature. And that was just a tiny taste of the benefits of being outdoors. 

If you think about all the things a big space can offer, it is mind-blowing. Take a moment, and think about all the things you can do when you have time and space, outside... 

I think about running, climbing, spinning, playing hide and seek, collecting objects, sitting down, watching nature and so much more, all of the activities can be thrilling and fun. Time melts away as curiosity and imagination take over. 

Benefit of moving in a big space 

Opportunities for large scale movement outdoors boost children’s awareness of space. Children who are exposed to wild open places on a frequent basis will improve their balance, observation, and spatial awareness skills [1].  

Playing outdoor games offers rich opportunities for changing direction, speed and coordination. When children are exposed to fast paced games and thinking on the spot about how and where to move to, new neural pathways are being formed in the brain. If the games are well practised, the connections in the brain will strengthen, encouraging the motions to become natural. For example, when playing chasing games with friends, your child will gain the ability to change direction, dodge, or jump without even thinking about it. The body begins to work in harmony with itself and when the body works in sync, smooth coordinated movements can happen. These early skills are better carried out in large open spaces and the skills learnt are transferrable to sports such as tennis, football, rugby in later life. 

As soon as the opportunity presents itself, a child’s natural instinct is to run. Children will take every chance to run, they simply love it. The feelings of freedom, exhilaration, excitement and chance are overwhelming. Think about what is happening to you when you run. You are staying fit and healthy, you tire yourself out and therefore sleep better, your mental wellbeing improves along with physical wellness, your self-esteem is boosted and your mood improves. Even skills such as perseverance, stamina and core strength improve. Not only that but think of that feeling you get as the breeze touches your body, you can feel the warmth or the cold. Is it wet? There are endless benefits to being in a wide-open space, the outdoors activates all senses, more than sitting inside could ever do. 

Walking on uneven surfaces 

You may have never even thought about walking uneven surfaces. We walk on so many flat, even surfaces paths, pavements, driveways and they are all flat, designed to keep us safe. But is this true? By removing opportunities that offer the exploration of walking uneven surfaces, we are taking away an element of critical thinking, risk taking and exploring.  

Uneven terrain naturally makes it more difficult for children to move around and it is good for us. Uneven surfaces naturally help us to become more aware of ours urroundings. This is crucial in more than one way. Children often rely on adults to guide them when walking, however being aware of where they are walking is a life skill that is beneficial to all ages.  

When toddlers and children walk on grass or verges, the uneven movements that the body adjusts to improve muscular control and strength, we also improve our balance and coordination without even realising it [1]. If children are not given the opportunity to walk on uneven surfaces, they may never be aware of the risks and proceed on an uneven surface as if the surface were flat, only to experience the consequences [2]. 

The word ‘risk’ most likely conjures up feelings of fear, and worry. Risk taking is something that children should have access to. When you're out and about with children, encourage them to take chances rather than preventing them. Risk-taking is beneficial to children because it is thrilling, rewarding and helps them to become resilient and aware of their safety. Children desire and need to take risks. As adults, it is our responsibility to ensure that they are able to do so without putting themselves in danger [3]. 

Being in a wide-open space offers you a well-placed judgement to think about the risks on offer. Always think about your child and consider their developing skills, needs and interests. Try thinking of what they can do, and give opportunity for them to push themselves a little further. In a world that is sometimes described as "risk averse," the need for children to learn how to do things safely and develop a "can-do" attitude is becoming increasingly essential [4]. 

The great outdoors offers an opportunity for developing this sense of adventure. The adventure, in turn, opens up a world of learning that simply cannot be imitated indoors. Children naturally learn self-regulation; they question how fast can I run? How high can I climb? etc. Your child is assessing their environment and experience true pleasure when they achieve a goal, they set for themselves.  

Different movements 

When space is in abundance, endless ways of moving present themselves naturally. There may be opportunity for your toddler to crawl over logs or mounds created by nature itself. Babies can support their hand-eye coordination by having opportunities to reach for moving things like insects flying by, or for the long grass that tickles their legs.  

A large outdoor space is basically an open door that screams ‘roll’, ‘run’, ‘skip’, ‘jump’, ‘gallop’ etc. There are numerous games to encourage diverse ways of moving. You could re-create ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’, or play action games such as the ‘Bean Game’. New skills can be introduced such as tip toeing, leaping, walking on hands, walking backwards, the skill list is immense. New words to movements can also be suggested i.e., can you creep through the grass, or duck under the branches. 

Encouraging children's exploratory play, builds their confidence to pursue new experiences and ideas. Children can use their existing knowledge as well as their growing talents to eventually help create their own games. Children have an innate urge to learn new ways to move; it is a wonderful feeling to be able to roam around freely. 

Go and find a field, experience the fascination! 

Imagine walking into a field with Autumn leaves, the desire to make a huge pile and leap into them, throwing them everywhere just might be irresistible for any child. Imagine the same space in Winter, the crisp sound of the frozen leaves and grass crunching under your feet. Then in Spring, the flowers pop up making the visual experience different once again. No two trips will ever be the same, nature changes all the time. 

Where else can you experience the giddiness and excitement of spinning or moving quickly, the freedom of climbing, and the diverse viewpoints that may be achieved while experiencing life from a lofty branch or the top of a tree? These feelings can all brought to the forefront during times of being in the great outdoors. The outdoors is a rich and diverse playground and is free for us all to access. 

References: 

[1] Vimocity News article. Available online at 4 Surprising Benefits of Walking on Uneven Surfaces | Vimocity 

[2] Johnson. J, Watts. A (2019). Developing Creativity and Curiosity Outdoors: How to extend Creative Learning in the Early Years. Routledge 

[3] Early Education. Taking Risks in Play. Available online at Taking risks in play | Early Education (early-education.org.uk)  

[4] Tovey. H. Outdoor Play and Exploration: A Froebelian Approach. Available online at Layout 1 (pelorous.com)