The Importance of Teaching Your Kids the Games You Grew Up With

When I was young, my mom usually brings me to our province in Tarlac for me to spend my summer vacation. I don’t mind being away because I got busy playing with my cousins and friends. You’ll barely see us inside the house. We either climb fruit bearing trees, hide and seek, patintero, luksong baka etc.

How I wish my son could do it now, but in today’s generation most kids are inside the house playing computer or celphone games.

According to an article released by Harvard Health Publishing last year, playing outside help improve the chance of a child’s health and success.

Active play provides kids the exercise they need to stay healthy, grow up strong, and able to properly perform daily activities. It also helps children get more sunshine, which assists the body in producing Vitamin D—a hormone that plays an essential role in the development of bones and the immune system.

But that’s not all. Physical benefits aside, did you know that outdoor fun also helps a child develop executive function, the skills that help an individual to entertain himself using imagination, solve problems, plan, prioritize, troubleshoot, negotiate, and multitask? For executive function to develop, a kid needs unstructured time to practice these abilities; and the best time for this is when they are outdoors with friends.

Another important lesson playing outside can teach our kids is socializing. Think about it. Aside from your family, the people that really helped shape your social skills are those you grew up playing with. Whoever you are now is greatly affected by your interaction with your peers as a child.

Finally, there’s learning about culture and life lessons. Similar to neighboring countries, traditional Filipino games can teach your kids about the kind of life lived by generations past and how a simple childhood can be very fulfilling if only one is able to make the most out of what he or she possesses.

In summary, playing outdoors really does so much good for kids. This is a fact that Alaska Milk supports, and that is why it’s encouraging all parents to teach their kids the traditional Filipino games they grew up with. To help parents become assured that their kids have enough energy and bone and muscle strength to do all these fun activities, Alaska Milk released two new drinks—Alaska Choco and Alaska Milky. Available in both 236ml and 110ml at all supermarkets and groceries nationwide, both are not only delicious, they are also packed with nutrients!

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