Photo: ktgeek / Flickr

Children who play outdoors are healthier than those who do not. Today’s children spend 90 per cent of their lives indoors and 23 per cent don’t take part in any physical activity, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say. Not getting enough exercise is directly linked to growing rates of diabetes and obesity in children. Littlewoods, the UK’s biggest online retailer, is helping tackle the problem with a new range of outdoor toys designed to get children moving this summer.

Why play outdoors?

One in six children between two and 15 were obese in 2006, and this number is growing. Obese children are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and liver disease, and experts are encouraging parents to get outdoors and be active with their children. The benefits of exercise aren’t only physical, though. Children who exercise have better self-esteem, are more attentive at school, feel less stressed and often have better social skills than those who do not.

The importance of outdoor toys

Encouraging children used to spending all their time indoors watching TV and playing video games to get active can be challenging. Outdoor toys like trampolines, slides and swing sets encourage children to get moving because they’re fun to use. According to Littlewoods, sales of outdoor toys do increase come summer. The vast majority of children in the UK spend as much time indoors in summer as they do in winter, though.

Getting children involved

Children are more likely to be active if they see their parents being active. Outdoor toys are a great way to get the whole family moving and the summer 2011 Littlewoods range offers plenty of options for all ages including football sets, splash pools, space hoppers and water guns that will take the hard work out of exercise for both parents and children.

Tags: children, health