Exploring The Thrills and Benefits of Indoor and Outdoor Games

There are two types of games that people usually play: indoor and outdoor. Now I am going to compare and contrast indoor and outdoor games as this essay reveales deeper exploration of similarities, differences and benefits both types of games. 

Playing game is an activity that players engage in for amusement or fun. The game is played according to regulations with the players in direct opposition to each other. It is a structured form of activity that usually undertaken for enjoyment and used as an educational tool at certain times. Playing games is essential for the people from all age group but not for children only. A game will lead us a change from the monotony of our daily life. It becomes one of the most important things in human nature for enculturation and socialization. For example, gymnastic was previously the only physical exercising for human and it is dull and humdrum. This made people wished to acquire pleasure in the aspect of mental during physical exercise. Hence, many outdoor and indoor games with the transition of clip were invented. In addition, The Egyptians' senet is the earliest example of a board game and it was invented around 3000 B.C. The first traces of competitive sports also happened to the Egyptians around 2000 B.C. In an Egyptian tomb at Beni Hasan, numerous wrestling pictures depicting many moves that are still used today were found by archaeologists. Indoor games are the games which are played somewhere inside the house or shelter without physical exercise. On the other hand, outdoor games are the athletic games which are played outside the home or shelters. Outdoor games are mostly related to physical fitness. There are many similarities and difference between indoor and outdoor games, which make them special. Both types of games provide entertainment as a stress buster as well as for all round personality development. The difference between them is health in terms of physical and mental.

Similarity That Brings Benefits 

First and foremost, playing indoor games and outdoor games bring joy to the life. Recently, stress and anxiety are common root causes that lead to a bigger and more serious problem called depression. Many people are becoming victims of depression because of loneliness due to the growing competition and various other reasons. As we know, academic pressure these days often leads to high level of stress among students. Students usually back to their homes being tired as school life is full of stress. A good way to distress is to take a break from the daily chores and play games for some time each day. Playing games creates leisure time that every student must has to reduce the stress of studying as well as the other problems among students these days. It gives them the needed break and helps them to rejuvenate. Hence, playing games is a good approach to get respite from the daily grinds. Researchers found that people who spend at least one hour playing their favourite games every day are far less prone to stress and anxiety compared to those who not. Therefore, every individual must play games to forget the daily life’s problems and to feel relieved. Playing outdoor games will help to release pressure since the tired body will release hormones that relax us and make us feel better. Increased heartbeat rate during outdoor games or an actively concentrated brain will ultimately bring our stress level down and help us to have free time without stress. Healthy distraction like playing board games will always bring advantages to human since it is a superb way to kick back and relax. Playing indoor games brings laughter and decreases stress level. Laughter is one of the vital ingredients for creativity and enjoyable learning experience. According to online survey by RealNetworks Inc., a games developer found that 64 percent of respondents said they play games as a way to unwind and relax and 53 percent of people play board games to get rid of stress. Furthermore, playing board games will trigger the release of endorphins; those are the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals that bring up the happiness level. “Happy hormones” has the influence on improving conscious and unconscious mind functions, make the person cheerful, compassionate and ultimately content. Besides, many adults gain the amusement of their previous childhood repeatedly while playing games with the child living in their spirits. For students, they must get bored with their daily routine activities after a day’s hard work at school. A student can get rid of boredom by playing games. They feel themselves with no worries and tension while playing games. Therefore, it is one of the best means to get relaxed.

In addition to providing entertainment as a stress buster, indoor games and outdoor games play an essential part in developing personality of human in all round. It is rightly said, “All work and no play makes Jake a dull boy”. Playing games is a good approach to ensure the all aspect development of a person. A person who regularly doing sport activities is known to have a better overall personality than those who are not. In this era of growing competition, students often treat their fellow course mates and friends as their rivals or competitors. They are always looking for ways to defeat them in studies and other activities. Games such as basketball, football, volleyball and cricket can help the students to understand and realise the importance of staying united to achieve a common team goal. This is because success in a game depends on co-operative team spirit and combined energetic efforts of all the members of the team. A team has to play as an organised whole with a united and competitive spirit, against the other team. The players will have the spirit of adventure, discipline, fair play, team spirit, co­operation and critical decisions making by playing games. Hence, they will build team spirit which is very essential to lead to a successful and fulfilling life. Moreover, it is said that, “The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton,” because the hero of this battle was one of the students of this famous school. It is here, as a student and player, that he developed the great qualities of leadership, patriotism, heroism, endurance, courage, and team-spirit which later helped him in defeating Napoleon. These personalities are cultivated with the help of playing games are quite essential for a person to be successful in life. Playing games provide the self-confidence and sense of fair play to the players and sports-related persons. They also broaden the mental horizon of players and make them true followers of the rule of law. The players have to find out how rules operate while playing and always agree to the regulations. This is because the rules involve a deliberation of the civil rights of others. The players have to comply with the decision of the referee and they will be penalized if they foul or violate the rules of the games. They will gain knowledge of the competition, however within a limited and secure system where the penalty of losing is reduced. Playing games teaches people how to deal with hardship by showing them it is fine to make a mistake. The players will learn from their mistakes and know the importance of moving on once a mistake has been done. It is in the same games where the people can learn that life is not a smooth path as it entails both ups and downs. For example, there are times in life when someone can achieve success but there are still other times when someone can fail. However, as in games so in life, a good player will neither admit defeat nor give up and he or she will not be demoralized by lose. Instead of losing his or her temper and morale due to failure, the player would accept it coolly, calmly and then would try to perform better next time. He or she will also keep his or her cool and equipoise in joy and success. Someone who takes part in the games will know that victory and defeat are the two aspects of the same coin. There is more fun in playing than in its end result. Congratulation and greeting will be given to the winning team by the defeated players. From this experience, they learn to face the realities and difficulties of life with a smiling face as well as always be optimistic and look on the bright side of life. Obviously, playing games encourages the spirit of healthy competition into our minds. It also teaches us to play for enjoyment and not to feel depressed when defeated. The kind of excitement, joy, thrill and entertainment provided by games are unbeatable. They make the both physical and mental exercise interesting and inspiring confidence in one’s work. Therefore, games and sports have all these additional benefits which an exercise taken for physical fitness and health lacks. A player is bound to become broad-minded, tolerant, principled, disciplined, honest, and more secular in his approach and methodology to tackle problems. Playing games also help in overcoming the sense of violence, arrogance and superiority as games always come with rules.

Differences in Health and Fitness: an Advantage of Outdoor Games

On the other hand, physical and mental fitness are the two different aspects between indoor games and outdoor games. It goes without saying that more effort and physical energy are required for outdoor games compared to the indoor games. One of the main attributes of outdoor games is physical fitness. It is essential for everyone to play outdoor games because it is the main activity which keeps us fit and energetic in every field of life. One of the tips to stay fit is to follow a healthy lifestyle that includes a balance diet and sufficient exercise. Various type of outdoor sports such as cycling, swimming, hiking and camping are good ways to exercise. These sports not only help in improving our physical health intact but are also a great way to make us stay fit. It will get our body fit by keeping our vital organs healthy and boosting metabolism. Regular sport activities and physical exercise could help to cure various communicable and non-communicable diseases and it is also a cost-effective way to improve the health of people. According to researches done by scientists, we can prove that outdoor games are important for our physical health because 70 percent of middle aged people who did not do sports in their young age are now struggling with the health problems such as hypertension, poor blood circulation and easily become weary and sleepy due to the lack of physical exercise. Therefore, people who do not take part in outdoor games are often seen fighting with illness in their old age, such as heart disease, diabetes and etc. However, people who do exercise regularly are seen leading comparatively healthier lives. According to the research done by Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, adults require 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week and muscle-strengthening exercise at least twice a week. One of the approaches to achieve these goals is to play outdoor games such as tennis, basketball or badminton which are qualified as aerobic activities. In contrast, it is proved that indoor games do not help in boosting physical health but it is definitely the best for mental development. These games stand a chance for our brain to have wonderful exercises. For example, brain areas which are responsible for complex thought and memory formation for kids and adults could be stimulated by playing board games. It helps in practicing essential cognitive skills, such as critical thinking, decision making and problem solving. Playing board game will also reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease and help to keep elderly’s mind fresh. Study by Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Centre confirmed that regular game-playing and puzzle-solving were shown significantly promote mental stimulation that kept high level performance of memory function as well as language function, attention span and spatial ability. The risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease was shown to be reduced by 47 percent for people who did these activities often. There are many benefits for youngster as well. Board games are known to be good for children’s mental growth as it helps to develop our brain skills and making teens more brilliant. Moreover, our minds become fresh and strong after playing indoor games. It is said: “A sound mind lives only in a sound body”. After playing for sometime, students can concentrate much better on books as indoor games serve as a good exercise for our brain. This will enhance our thinking capacity and analytical skills as well as sharpening our mind. It is suggested to inculcate the habit of doing sport in children from the very beginning as it is good for their mental and physical growth. A book-worm, who pores over his books day and night, definitely will get his mental faculties blunted. He may show a slightly better result in the examination, but at best he just ends up as a crammer, devoid of all sense of uniqueness and originality. Most of the games make players to think conceptually while playing. For example, games which includes question and answer make a person think about the particular question before giving answer thus it makes the person to think logically to come out with a correct answer. Furthermore, games also improve the observation and orientation of the child and adult. Many of the games need players to perform particular action or the task. For example, drum shiraz is a game in which a person has to act without saying a single word, thus the other person has to observe the action performed in a more proper manner in order to get the right answer. Therefore, indoor games provide a mental exercise for the player.

Summary

In a nutshell, both indoor and outdoor games provide entertainment as a stress buster and for all round personality development of people as well. Whereas the difference shared between indoor games and outdoor games is physical and mental fitness. We should not underestimate the importance of these activities. Young children can learn a lot of things by participating in both games. Participation of adults in games can lead to happier, healthier, more effective and productive lives. In my opinion, the corporate and private sectors should show their determination to lend a helping hand to promote both indoor and outdoor games as well as deliver the importance of games to public. A beginning was made to boost this key sector. For instance, some famous business houses, corporations, firms, companies and establishments sponsor many national sports events. Additionally, the business and corporate bodies should spend part of their earnings and profit not only in sponsoring national sports events, but also in providing equipment and other facilities which are indispensable for the promotion and betterment of games and sports. It must, however, be acknowledged that remaining busy in games day and night at the cost of studies is by no means something wise. The wisest thing is to maintain a healthy balance between the games and the studies. They should be complementary to each other. In any case, games are essential for all round development of one’s personality. Since life is a game in which the players are we, it is inevitable and inescapable to spend time without playing games at any age.