July is National Park and Recreation Month which is designed to encourage you to get outside and enjoy the many benefits of nature and play. The theme of 2017 National Park and Recreation Month is Get Your Play On!
I've talked many times about the benefits of play and nature and if you have yet to experience the joy of getting outside and playing, now is the time to do it! Whether you're 8 or 80, an athlete or a couch potato, the benefits of outdoor play are waiting for you.
Benefits of outdoor play:
Benefits of outdoor play:
- Improved mood and self-esteem
- Increased energy
- Decreased stress and anxiety
- Improved brain function
- Decreased pain
- Improved agility, balance, coordination
- Strengthened immune system
- Improved vision
- Improved imagination, creativity, and focus
Ideas for outdoor play:
- Play soccer, basketball, frisbee, or tag with your kids or friends.
- Go to a playground and climb on the jungle gym, do the monkey bars, climb the rock wall, go down the slide, and swing on the swings.
- Go on a hike and look for trees to climb, logs to balance on, and streams to jump over.
- Explore places like your local zoo, nature park, arboretum, or rails to trails.
This spring/summer I've tried to get out and run, hike, or play in a new park or on a new trail as often as I can. I've enjoyed exploring in Forest Park, Washington Park, Silver Falls State Park, and Oswald West State Park, on Mt. Tabor and Powell Butte, and in the Columbia River Gorge on the both the Washington and Oregon sides. As the snow melts a little it's time to start exploring on Mount Hood also.
When I go to parks with my kids, I get active swinging, climbing, running, and jumping with them on the playground and anything we can find to play on.
My goal this summer is to run every inch of trails in Forest and Washington Park, do as many of the 10+ mile hikes in the Columbia River Gorge as I can, and explore the many Mount Hood trails I've never been on.
When I go to parks with my kids, I get active swinging, climbing, running, and jumping with them on the playground and anything we can find to play on.
My goal this summer is to run every inch of trails in Forest and Washington Park, do as many of the 10+ mile hikes in the Columbia River Gorge as I can, and explore the many Mount Hood trails I've never been on.
What are you going to do to Get Your Play On?
Share your ideas and adventures in the comments below.
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