‘Let Me Be Outside’ campaign underway in County Roscommon

A new campaign, Let Me Be Outside, developed by the Roscommon Children and Young People’s Services Committee (CYPSC) is aiming to support children in spending much more time in the outdoors.

Research carried out with Roscommon pre-school children through a Think, Draw and Write method, reported that children are asking to be outside more. When asked about what they want and need to stay healthy and happy, activities like jumping in puddles, running down hills, spending time in nature looking for spiders were all high on their list.

“Not only does this generation of young children know what they want, it seems that they also know what they need to stay well and happy. There is a huge and growing body of evidence that supports not only the benefits of outdoor play but goes as far to suggest that it is crucial for healthy development of children. Research tells us that the experiences children have through quality outdoor play has a great influence and effect on the growth of their brain and creates strong foundations for future development in all areas of health and development," said a spokesperson for the Roscommon committee.

“Being outside helps to regulate our nervous system, allowing children to feel calmer and better able to connect and engage with the world around them,” added the spokesperson.

Katie Glynn from Willow Preschool, Roscommon’s only outdoor preschool, explained that “time outdoors is a necessity for young children. Fresh air, movement, and connection to nature supports every aspect of their development, and it starts with adults making space in the day to step outside together. Children thrive outdoors. Nature invites them to explore, move, imagine, and feel calm all at once. As a parent or caregiver, when you make time to bring your child outside, you are not only helping them regulate emotionally you are making a powerful impact on their cognitive development. Spending time in nature improves attention and concentration, helping children reset mentally and focus better. It also strengthens problem-solving and critical thinking, as children navigate uneven terrain, create games, and figure things out independently.” 

The new Roscommon campaign seeks to promote and encourage outdoor play, through a series of posters and social media posts. Following a recent workshop at Willow Outdoor Preschool, four of Roscommon’s Family Resource Centres are now eager to support this campaign and will be providing outdoor parent and toddler groups on a regular basis in the coming weeks.