Background Outdoor play has long been recognized as a crucial aspect of childhood development, with potential implications for physical health and cognitive abilities. Objective To examine the impact of outdoor play on the physical health and cognitive development of school-aged children (6-12 years), highlighting its vital role during these formative years. Design A scoping-type search across major databases reviewed observational and systematic reviews, as well as meta-analyses, extracting data on exposure factors such as duration, frequency, setting, and outcomes related to cardiovascular fitness, body composition, obesity risk, attention, executive function, creativity, problem-solving, and emotional well-being. Results Findings indicate regular outdoor play improves fitness and body composition, enhances cognitive function and mood, and is shaped by access to safe green spaces and school policies, with barriers including safety concerns, weather, urban design, and socioeconomic factors. Conclusion Proposed mechanisms involve increased physical activity in diverse settings, engagement with natural stimuli, and social interactions that support learning and resilience. Families, schools, urban planners, and policymakers must ensure that outdoor access is safe and equitable. The implications of this call for action include integrating outdoor play into routines and policymaking, standardizing exposure and outcome measures, and prioritizing longitudinal, diverse-population research to clarify causality.
Akah Roland Tiagha (Fri,) studied this question.