This paper describes the significance of outdoor play for early and preschool children, with special emphasis on considering the challenges of modern growing up and playing in a natural environment. Intense changes in society have led to changed conditions of growing up, so outdoor play is often restricted and controlled. Children thus increasingly become passionate, motorically clumsy and easily give up on solving the many challenges they face, which negatively affects their overall development. A positive response to the international concern about children's distance from nature is to promote the child's right and need to play, explore and learn in direct contact with the natural environment, resulting in mentally strong and resilient children. Returning to nature is necessary for a better understanding and preservation of nature and a happier childhood characterized by more diverse play enriched with natural elements and experiential learning in a creative, free and natural way. Play and creativity provide the child with numerous opportunities to practice and try out his ideas in different ways. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of the importance and value of the child's interaction with nature and the environment and to encourage the overall development by staying in natural environments. Preschool teacher should provide children with opportunities for high-quality outdoor play that will encourage the child's resistance and the quality of his upbringing.