Study finds kids who go to parks grow up with better mental health
Going to the park to play can improve children’s mental health, according to a new study.
Researchers found that youngsters who visit parks and playgrounds at least once a week may have better mental well-being and social development as they grow up.
A team from the University of Exeter focused on 4- to 11-year-olds, using data from the Children of the 90s study — which follows thousands of youngsters over many years and helps researchers see how changes in their lives relate to their later health.
The findings showed that children who were taken to the park at least once a week from birth to 11 years of age scored, on average, 16.5% better on their mental health assessments compared to those who visited less than once a week over the same period.
