Issues with Outdoor Play - Essay Example

The paper “The Importance and Issues of the Outdoor Play for Children" is a telling example of a term paper on sports & recreation. In a world where child play has been displaced by computer games and television, there is a need to introduce outdoor play. Children have remarkable energy levels and will spend most of their time jumping from one activity to another. They have high levels of curiosity and playing indoors would result in injury. The outdoors provides a natural learning environment for the kids to learn through communication, movement and sensory experience that the environment offers.

Children will often need material time and space. Adult supervision is also necessary for any outdoor play because of problems that may arise from innocent play. The following essay is a discussion of some of the issues that may arise from outdoor activities (Valentine, and John, 1997)The risk of physical injuries is a major concern for parents. Children risk physical injury whenever they are outside. The outdoor does not provide the safest environment for child play. The structure of the outdoor environment is not entirely safe for the child.

Pavements and sidewalks may be a potential hazard that may result in injury to the child. Children may also participate in vigorous play that results in injury. Children may also use equipment that poses a threat to them. Bike rides however thrilling to children are a dangerous activity, and children may end up getting injuries (Clements, 2004) Biological contamination and chocking from items present in the outdoors. Children are prone to putting materials in their mouths these pose a potential risk area mainly because children do not know the danger that underlies eating of certain materials.

Children may pick up contaminated materials dumped outside exposing them to complications that come from ingestion of these materials. Cases of bacterial infections from outdoor playgrounds are numerous; with children touching anything on their war this is why it is essential for parental supervision. Chocking is also a concern for young children who attempt to intake whatever comes their way (Little, and Shirley, 2008).The spread of diseases and infections is a common thing in outdoor play. It is among the worries that parents have about their kids.

Interaction with other children may result in bad cases of the disease. Diarrhea is an example of an easily spread disease among children in the playgrounds. There are contagious diseases that may be from child to child. Smallpox is such a disease, this type of illnesses pose an enormous challenge to outdoor play as a child may go outside in perfect health and come back home sick (Niehues et al, 2013)In the 21st century, the outdoors is no longer safe for our children there are many issues of concern that make parents prefer for their children to be indoors.

The presence of gang violence and criminal activities is an ever-increasing concern. Child molestation is a major concern for any parent that lets their kids outdoors nowadays. There have been states where children playing outside have been victims of stray bullets from police and gangs (Mullan, and Ben, 2013)ConclusionOutdoor play is important for any child it helps in the development of motor skills and socialization of the children. The essay raises questions about some issue that are present in the outdoor play.