How important is outdoor play for children?
Aside from the opportunities to use gross
motor skills while running, riding a bike, swinging on swings outdoor play for
children is FUN!
Unstructured outdoor play provides a much
needed outlet for stress (yes, young
children experience stress) and is a great avenue for children to move
their bodies and raise their voices in ways that are not appropriate while
indoors.
Especially for children under the age of
eight, learning occurs best when the whole self is involved. Outdoor play
provides an ideal platform for uniting the body, mind and spirit in the
carefree expressions of childhood.
Although a recent report from The
American Academy of Pediatrics says that children
should play outside for at least 60 minutes a day, another study from The
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
states that almost half of three to five year olds don’t play outside on a
daily basis.
Providing young children with the foundation
and support they need is key for building and maintaining strong communities. As
an educator in the field of Early Childhood and Human Development for nearly 30
years, I have seen the positive impact that well-educated family child care
providers can have on a child and their family.
Rio
Salado College student Sharnet Parker’s lifetime goal has been to provide
quality care for children and families. Parker saw her goal become a reality
and currently owns and operates Rising STARS
Preschool and Childcare center in Chandler, Arizona.
“While
raising my own two boys, in 1996 with the support of my husband and family, I
fulfilled my dream by opening my family child care business,” Parker said.
She credits Rio Salado for providing
educational and professional development support for her career. Parker has earned
her Academic
Certificate in Professional Development and is working toward an Associate of
Applied Science in Early Childhood Education.
More than 5,000 students currently take Early
Childhood and Human Development classes at the college. Rio offers seven
certificate and three associate degrees in Early Childhood and Human
Development. The program provides a variety of pathways in online formats; infant/toddler,
preschool, school age (after school programs), adolescence studies, family life
education, adult development and aging and management of early childhood
environments. The college also works directly with employers to bring selected
courses to the workplace.
“It
is my hope to inspire others,” Parker said. “My passion isn't just teaching
children, it is also showing other providers how to be successful and to
inspire them to provide quality care to young children.”
This next week, April 22 – 28, the National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) will be celebrating Week
of the Young Child. As noted by NAEYC, the purpose of the week is to “focus
public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to
recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.” Rio
Salado College will celebrate the week by participating in a community event in
Buckeye, and by hosting the Fifth-Annual Early Childhood Director’s Conference
on April 21.
Published in Tempe Republic April 21, 2012
