The Role of Timing and Amount of Outdoor Play in Emotional Dysregulation in Preschool Children.
Jane J Lee, Eirini Flouri, Yo Jackson
PMID 39704197WHAT IT FOUND
Preschoolers who played outdoors between noon and 6 PM showed better emotional regulation and working memory.
Those playing before noon or after 6 PM showed more emotional dysregulation. This links timing of play to outcomes, not just total duration.
Key findings
01Greater outdoor play from noon to 6 PM was associated with lower emotional dysregulation and better working memory.
02Greater outdoor play from wake-up to noon and from 6 PM to bedtime was associated with higher emotional dysregulation.
03Working memory fully mediated the link between midday outdoor play and emotional regulation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study design cannot prove causation. It is unclear if outdoor play causes better regulation, or if children with better regulation/working memory engage in more midday play. Outdoor play time was measured by parent report of a 'typical day', which may be inaccurate compared to objective monitoring. The sample was limited to low-income families in one US city, so results may not apply to other populations. Data on outdoor play at Time 2 and emotion regulation at Time 1 were missing, preventing a true longitudinal assessment of change over time.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the link between morning/evening outdoor play and emotional dysregulation as evidence that playing outside at those times harms children. The authors suggest these associations likely reflect underlying family chaos, irregular routines, or evening chronotypes rather than the play itself causing dysregulation.