Outdoor play is really important for kids’ overall health and development.
When we were young, our idea of a good time playing involved being outdoors. Many of us probably can’t say the same for our kids, who, from quite a young age, get caught up with school work and various extracurricular activities.
However, we can’t deny the benefits of outdoor play for our little ones. It is a great way for them to get exercise in a fun way, burn excess energy and get heaps of fresh air.
In order to find out exactly what Singaporean mothers think about the importance of outdoor play for kids, theAsianparent recently conducted a survey among over 100 mums. You can view the full infographic with the survey results by clicking this link.
The survey also aimed to find out what mums consider to be the best activities for kids that contribute to their learning and development. The reasons why mums think twice about letting their kids play outside were also considered.
Outdoor play for kids: Mums certainly think spending time outdoors is important for their kids’ learning and development.
So what do parents think about outdoor play for their kids?
With a whopping 96% of parents bringing their kids out to play at least once a week, they obviously think outdoor play is important for little ones.
Outdoor play takes top spot among activities parents think are important for their kids’ learning and development, with 82% of parents indicating this in the survey.
Here is what two Singaporean mums think about outdoor play for their kids:
Outdoor play is so important for children. They get a dose of vitamin D, fresh air and lots of exercise which is important for their development. — Belinda, 39, mother of an eight-year-old. I want my kids to play outdoors more and more. It keeps them active and healthy and is also a great way for them to make new friends. — Lan, 31, mother of a six-year-old.
Going back to the survey results, 69% of parents believe that reading books is important; 51% think interacting with other kids contributes to learning and development; 31% consider games and apps as having educational appeal; and 29% feel that watching TV programmes can help their with their kids’ learning.
Dirt is good but can be hard to remove!
When kids play, it’s inevitable that they get dirty. As mums, it’s quite natural for us to be wary about dirt, primarily because it exposes kids to germs. However, research shows that a bit of dirt may actually be good for our kids.
Another reason mums stress about outdoor play for their kids is because dirt stains can be so hard to remove from clothes. Whether it’s mud stains on shorts from kicking a soccer ball around or marker stains from an afternoon of colouring, what this means is mums worry about the time, money and effort that is involved in trying to keep their kids’ clothes clean.
Play often involves kids getting dirty and mums may stress about removing tough stains as a result of play from their kids’ clothes.
In fact, this concern was reflected in the survey, with 48% of mums finding marker stains the most difficult to remove from their kids’ clothes, 24% finding paint stains the hardest to get rid of, 20% saying they struggled with mud stains and 6% of mums battling food stains on their kids’ clothes.
Mums, what if we told you that you needn’t worry about your kids’ dirty clothes anymore?
It’s true! Breeze detergent is specially formulated to remove all those stubborn stains in a flash! Besides keeping white clothes whiter, you also get the added bonuses of colour protection, great fragrance and indoor drying with Breeze detergent for your family’s laundry.
To show Singaporean mums that kids can have fun outdoors without mums having to worry about getting rid of tough stains from clothes, Breeze held a soccer clinic in April this year that was attended by almost 2,000 families.
Kids had a blast at the Breeze Soccer Clinic and also got to meet their hero Bryan Robson.
The Breeze Soccer Clinic
It was an exciting day for young Singaporean soccer fans as they got to meet Manchester United legend Bryan Robson. Certainly, they learned soccer moves from the best of the best!
The Soccer Clinic started nice and early on a lovely sunny day; it was part of the very popular Rise and Shine Carnival that is held every year. Three groups of kids not only got to play their favourite sport ever with Robson, but also got a soccer ball to take home signed by the legend himself!
While the clinic aimed to teach these youngsters a thing or two about soccer and of course to let them meet their hero, Robson, it also had another very important purpose.
And voila! The sock is sparkling white again!
Breeze: proving that dirt is not so hard to remove after all
The soccer clinic pitch was purposely made “dirty” with a mixture of water and cocoa powder. Kids taking part were given pure white socks to wear while running around on this pitch. The socks, of course, got dirtier and dirtier with each passing minute and many mums looked dismayed at the sight of the dirty brown stains on their kids’ socks!
The look of dismay on their faces soon turned to amazement though. After each session in the clinic, a Breeze detergent demonstration was conducted where the dirtiest pairs of socks were dipped in a solution of Breeze detergent and water.
With barely any scrubbing, within minutes, the socks emerged sparkling white again, showing that Breeze removes tough stains in one step without the need for bleaching, brushing or soaking. Parents watching the demonstration were pleasantly surprised at how easily and quickly the dirt came off.
Here are two testimonials from mums who witnessed the Breeze demonstrations:
I was really amazed at how effective Breeze is at getting tough stains out without the need to use bleach. — Irene, 35, mum of three kids (10, eight and three years old) Washing kids’ clothes with Breeze would make life so much easier for mums. — Priscilla, 36, mum of an eight-year-old
What does this mean for mums and kids around Singapore?
Kids can be kids and play, whether that is outdoors playing soccer with their friends or indoors drawing and colouring their very own “masterpiece”! And mums need not worry anymore about those stubborn stains that are an inevitable result of all that play — they just need to turn to Breeze detergent!
For more on Breeze detergent and why dirt is good for kids, click this link.
Exclusive Manchester United Merchandise to be won!
Do you want to be one of 10 lucky winners of signed boots by Wayne Rooney, Manchester United signed soccer balls, or jerseys?
It’s as simple as snapping a photo depicting why dirt is good and uploading your photo through Instagram, or via the contest form below! Don’t forget to use the hashtag #DirtIsGoodSG.
The contest is now extended till 27 August 2015.
Mums, what do you think about outdoor play for kids? And do you use Breeze detergent to wash your kids’ clothes? Do tell us by leaving a comment below.