Kids love playing in parks, in fact, I still enjoy playing in a park. Some new research points out that neighbourhoods that have parks are more likely to have healthier residents than neighbourhoods without parks. The moral of this story is that parks should be common in more places because parks are healthy for us.

Exposure to grassy areas has also been linked to less stress and a lower body mass index among adults. And an analysis of 3,000 Tokyo residents associated walkable green spaces with greater longevity among senior citizens. Glass cautions that most studies don’t necessarily prove a causal link between greenness and health, but they’re nonetheless helping spur action. In September the U.S. House of Representatives approved the delightfully named No Child Left Inside Act to encourage public initiatives aimed at exposing kids to the outdoors.

Finding green space is, of course, not always easy, and you may have to work a bit to get your family a little grass and trees. If you live in a suburb or a city with good parks, take advantage of what’s there. Your children in particular will love it — and their bodies and minds will thank you