ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses research on the importance of outdoor play and gross motor play. It also discusses the benefits of gross motor play for children's outcomes and share ways that self-regulation can be embedded into gross motor play indoors and outdoors. Outdoor time is becoming increasingly important as concerns about childhood obesity increase. Providing children with opportunities to engage in physical activity through outdoor and gross motor play is critical for promoting physical health and preventing obesity. Moreover, being physically active can help prevent a host of health problems in the short and long term. Studies have found that the physical environment at early childhood centers plays a role in children's activity level during play. Educators also shared in their surveys that they believed physical activity was important for children and that they saw many benefits, including gross motor development, self-confidence and self-regulation, better attention, and better naps after children participated in exercise.
