Did you know that there are a ton of science backed health benefits of kids playing outside? Here are a few you may not be aware of…
- Kids See Better: According to the Journal of Optometry and Vision Science, kids who spend more time outside during the day tend to have better distance vision than those children who spend more time indoors.
- Kids are Nicer: The more time a kid spends outside in nature, the more generous they tend to be and the better their social interactions become.
- Kids Improve Critical Thinking Skills: Studies have shown that kids who spend more time outside do better on tests.
Head to the Beach
Many families spend many hours during the summer outdoors and at the beach as they soak in the rays and enjoy their unscheduled days of relaxation. In addition to just enjoying the beach, it also creates many opportunities for children to ask questions and learn. Seeing sea creatures, collecting shells, jumping over and under waves, high and low tides, rough and calm seas – they are all examples of the Earth at work. And, as they play among the waves and in the sand, all outdoors, they can learn to appreciate the amazing natural world happening all around them.
Discover Summer Reading
To help your kids learn a bit more about the natural world happening at beaches near and far, here are two stories from our magazine archives about sea turtles for you and your child to read …
Week Five: Sea Turtles
On Sea Turtle Patrol
by Nancy Dawson
art by Denise Ortakales
Cricket Magazine: May 2015
A Sea Turtle’s Journey
by Laurence Pringle
illustrated by Diane Blasius
Click Magazine: October 2010
Want more free stories from our summer reading program? Discover Summer Reading Program
