Little Eyes, Big World: Why Outdoor Play Helps Protect Your Child’s Vision

Too much time indoors looking at screens up close can affect your child’s eyes. More and more children are becoming short-sighted (also known as myopia), which means they can’t see clearly in the distance.

The good news? There’s a simple, natural way to help protect young children’s eyesight: playing outdoors.

Why Outdoors Makes a Difference

When children play outside, their eyes get a healthy “workout”:

• Bright daylight helps eyes develop normally.

• Looking into the distance gives eyes a break from close-up focus.

• Active play keeps children moving, curious, and happy.

Even a short time outside each day adds up — aim for around 2 hours spread throughout the day as often as you can.

Easy Ways to Build Outdoor Time

• Walk and talk: A trip to the shops or nursery drop-off can be an adventure.

• Garden fun: Watering plants, chalk on the pavement, or chasing bubbles all count.

• Park play: Climbing, running, or simply lying on the grass looking at the clouds.

• Family time: Outdoor play is even more fun when grown-ups join in.

How you can help to keep your child’s eyes healthy: 

Choose 1-2 ideas from 50 Things to try every day — e.g. blowing bubbles in the garden, cloud-watching, walking through leaves. These activities are easy, free and fun! 

Most importantly these simple outdoor activities give your eyes a break from close visual focus and screens.

You don’t have to save going outdoors just for warm weather, exploring the outdoors on those rainy or cold days can be an adventure for your little ones. Jump in puddles (make sure to wear your wellies though!), hear the crunching of leaves on the floor and so much more. Even in worse weather, the natural light is so much better for your eyes than staying indoors. 

Balancing Screens in the Early Years

Keep screen time short and sweet — think of screens as a treat, not the main activity.

Try the “look up and look out”  habit: after a short screen time, encourage your child to glance out of the window or step outside. Try the 20-20-20 rule, every 20 minutes look up about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. 

Or swap some screen time out for a playdate, a nature walk, or messy play outdoors.

When to Get Eyes Checked:

If you notice your child squinting, sitting very close to the TV, or rubbing their eyes a lot, it’s a good idea to mention it to your GP or health visitor. 

Children are offered a free NHS vision check when they start school, but you can book an eye test earlier if you have any concerns. 

For parents wanting to reduce screen time at home, here are some playful activities to try - https://50thingstodo.org/families