Using ICT in Outdoor with Young Children

How ICT can be used in outdoor activities? 
Explain and discuss how it can be done.

According to Margaret Rouse, ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies) is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning (Rouse, M., 2005).

Many research has linked using of technology with related to decreasing in child's physical activities and causing obesity (Vessey, Yim-Chiplis, & MacKenzie, 1998; Lowry, Wechsler, Galuska, Fulton, & Kann, 2002; Dennison, Russo, Burdick, & Jenkins, 2004)

So, as an educator or parents, how can we use ICT in outdoor activities? 
First of all, educator or parents need to be creative and enjoy outdoor play with children.
Secondly, understand that outdoor play can be risky but with the supervision of adult, risk can be reduce to the minimum.
Last but not least, recognize that outdoor play can be beneficial for all developmental areas of children like socio-emotional, physical and cognitive development.

Hereby, I would like to suggest some of the activities that adult can use ICT in outdoor.

a) For younger children, adults can bring a radio to the outdoor, play music and have children dance  
    with partner according to the music.

b) Pre-capture some plants using a smartphone camera, provide the smartphone to children age 4-6,  
    have them to look at the photos and find out the plants in the garden and take photo with it. In the  
    similar way, adult can ask children to take photos of some animals or insects in the garden, and  
    after that find information for it.

c) Plan an outdoor role play activity after story telling like "Hansel and Gretel", adult can use the  
    tablet or smartphone to video record the role play, or even play some sound effects using computer     
    accordingly. So, after that, adult can play the video for children.

d) Have children to collect some natural elements like twigs, leaves, pebbles and so on, let them form  
    the shapes or objects that they like, then have them to take photo using smartphone and let them to  
    show to their friends and guess what is it.   

e) Let children to take photo of the sky or tree using tablet or smartphone. Later on let children to  
    use the photo editor applications to add and draw things on the sky or tree to create a story.

As a conclusion, ICT has been developed to bring convenience to our lives, we should use it to bring benefits to our loves one and not misuse it to just occupy our children during their free time. 
Hope it helps! Thanks.



References:
Dennison B. A., Russo T. J., Burdick P. A., & Jenkins, P. L. (2004). An intervention to reduce television viewing by preschool children. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 158(2), 170-176.

Lowry, R., Wechsler, H., Galuska, D. A., Fulton, J. E., & Kann, L. (2002). Television viewing and its associations with overweight, sedentary lifestyle, and insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables among us high school students: differences by race, ethnicity, and gender. Journal of School Health, 72(10), 413-421.

Rouse, M. (2005). ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies),Available at: http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/ICT-information-and-communications-technology-or-technologies (Accessed: 12nd June 2014).

Vessey J. A., Yim-Chiplis, P. K., & MacKenzie, N. R. (1998). Effects of television viewing on children’s development. Pediatric Nursing, 24(5), 483-486.