Maybe those Gen X parents had it right all along. New research shows that infants and toddlers who spend more time outside – “touching grass,” as the kids say – are less likely to show signs of anxiety once they make it to preschool.
“Our findings suggest that the earlier and more often children engage in outdoor activity, the better it is for their mental health,” the authors wrote in the BMC Psychiatry paper. “Infants and toddlers who played outdoors at least seven times a week for more than two hours per session had notably lower odds of exhibiting anxiety symptoms later on.”
Methodology –And Results
The researchers, working in the Longhua District of Shenzhen, China, combed through data from nearly 70,000 preschool-aged children. They identified a clear link between the frequency and duration of outdoor activity in early childhood and reduced anxiety symptoms.
The research team split up the study participants into two age groups: 0–1 years and 1–3 years. Researchers used the Chinese version of the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale (SPAS) to assess anxiety and relied on logistic regression models to make sense of the data.
Among the infants, those who made it outside less than once a week had a 2.5 times greater risk of anxiety symptoms compared to those who got some fresh air daily.
The anxiety risk jumped even higher for the toddler homebodies, who were 3.1 times more likely to develop anxiety.
At the same time, short outdoor trips — 30 minutes or less— showed a link to a higher likelihood of anxiety symptoms compared to longer sessions.
“Our findings fill a major gap in the literature,” the researchers noted. “Most previous studies focused on older children or had small sample sizes. This large-scale study provides concrete, age-specific recommendations for outdoor activity in early childhood.”
Addressing a Global Decline
The study results arrive in the midst of rising concern about kids’ mental health and the growing lack of outdoor play time. The researchers blamed urbanization, safety concerns, and (of course) increased screen time. Multiple studies have reported a steady, consistent decline in children’s outdoor activity. In the United States, for example, outdoor playtime fell 37% between 1997 and 2003.
The study’s authors stress the importance of outdoor environments in supporting brain development, emotional regulation, and social skills. They emphasize the critical early childhood period and how it fosters the development of neural circuits that govern stress response. And outdoor play – loaded with sensory stimulation and physical movement – seems to support healthier development in these areas.
Additionally, time spent outside encourages caregivers and peer relationships, two crucial components of emotional security.
And earlier studies have shown connections between natural light exposure – along with the sights and sounds of nature – and improved mood and lower stress levels (even in adults).
A Path Forward for Parents and Policymakers
Based on this research, the authors advise that kids (up to age 3) engage in outdoor activity at least seven times per week, for sessions lasting at least two hours.
Additionally, they call for more research, possibly incorporating wearable device data, to better understand this phenomenon. They also point to the need to consider cultural and environmental factors, such as access to safe outdoor spaces.
“These findings provide actionable insights for parents and caregivers, highlighting the importance of promoting outdoor activity in early childhood care and parenting practices,” the authors concluded. “Future studies should further explore the causal relationship between outdoor activity and the prevention of anxiety.”
Further Reading
Nature vs. Nurture? Parenting Scores a Win
