University of Exeter Jun 8 2026 Children who spend more time playing outdoors between the ages of two and four may be less likely to develop emotional and behavioural difficulties later in childhood. That's according to new research led by the University of Exeter, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry . Previous studies have shown a link between outdoor play and children's mental health, but this is the first study to explore how outdoor play in the early years relates to