Do you like playing video games and staying inside from the hot sun? Well, I will explain why you should take a break from electronics and get outside more.
According to researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA), children are happier and healthier when they spend less time on electronics and spend more time outdoors. Dr. Rosa Virgara, a UniSA lead researcher, says “Our study highlights how some out-of-school activities can boost children’s wellbeing, while others particularly screens can chip away at their mental and physical health.”
The study was conducted on 61,759 school students, mainly from ages 4-9. Researchers collected these students’ weekly activity data from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and analyzed the emotional and health factors of the children involved, such as, happiness, sadness, anger, worry, and engagement.
Virgara added, “Screens are a massive distraction for children of all ages. Whether children are gaming, watching TV or on social media, there’s something about all screens that’s damaging to their wellbeing.”
In contrast, spending more time on reading and homework will boost children’s emotions and health, she says. “What this shows is that we need to find ways to encourage children of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in activities that keep them away from TV, computers and mobile devices.”
If you are reading this on your phone, tablets or any device, drop it now and run outside before it gets dark. But if you don’t want to go outside and be in the hot sunlight, you could always simply spend more time playing with your friends.
According to researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA), children are happier and healthier when they spend less time on electronics and spend more time outdoors. Dr. Rosa Virgara, a UniSA lead researcher, says “Our study highlights how some out-of-school activities can boost children’s wellbeing, while others particularly screens can chip away at their mental and physical health.”
The study was conducted on 61,759 school students, mainly from ages 4-9. Researchers collected these students’ weekly activity data from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and analyzed the emotional and health factors of the children involved, such as, happiness, sadness, anger, worry, and engagement.
Virgara added, “Screens are a massive distraction for children of all ages. Whether children are gaming, watching TV or on social media, there’s something about all screens that’s damaging to their wellbeing.”
In contrast, spending more time on reading and homework will boost children’s emotions and health, she says. “What this shows is that we need to find ways to encourage children of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in activities that keep them away from TV, computers and mobile devices.”
If you are reading this on your phone, tablets or any device, drop it now and run outside before it gets dark. But if you don’t want to go outside and be in the hot sunlight, you could always simply spend more time playing with your friends.
