The importance of the great outdoors.

As an adult, sitting inside staring at the same four walls can be quite frankly, depressing. Everything looks the same, everything smells the same, and you can feel trapped. Your senses aren't stimulated and it can often make you feel alone.

For a toddler those feelings will be even worse, because of their brain development, they need stimulation 99% of the time to keep them focused, and of course to help them learn new things.

Getting outside can be beneficial for the whole family, the exercise releases endorphins (a happy hormone), the freedom means you can literally breathe freely, and the experiences it can give your children can last them a lifetime.

We live right next to the downs, so always have somewhere to go when we need some space or fresh air. There are puddles, plants, trees, birds and wildlife that the toddler can explore and learn about to get her mind and senses stimulated.

A few other outdoor places we find good are listed below! 
•The beach. The beach is great for a day out. Toddlers can use their motor skills on building and digging, collecting shells. They can learn of sea creatures, boats and water activities.
•Woodland. Woodland is great for clearing the cobwebs. You can run nature trails, or make a 'bingo' card for your toddler to spot different items (pinecones/berries/daffodils etc). It's always lovely to run off your Sunday lunch in the woods!
•Childrens playgrounds. Of course, playgrounds are amazing for keeping littlies entertained. They can learn allsorts, colours, shapes, how to climb, up/down opposites etc. And most playgrounds have a picnic bench so you can make a day of it!

Of course other benefits are that most places outdoors are free to use or very cheap! Even in a city, a walk around the block can teach your toddler a lot of things and give them the fresh air they need!

Enjoying the woodland!

Fun at the beach!

Burning off energy at the park!