Kids spend more time in front of screens than outdoors this summer
Survey looks at children's and parents attitudes to outdoor play this summer
Last updated 15th Aug 2024
As the school summer holidays head into their final two weeks a new survey's offering an insight into how children are spending their six-week break.
And it's thrown up some interesting stats about the amount of time we're spending outdoors - a possible reflection on a mixed summer weather-wise.
Children are spending an average of three hours a day on screens, while only spending two and a half hours outdoors:
- Just 13% of parents feel confident playing outdoors with their children, with technology becoming the go-to for family entertainment.
- Nearly half (44%) of parents struggle to come up with creative outdoor play ideas.
- 35% admit they’re often distracted by technology themselves.
- 30% worry about their children getting hurt outside
- As a result, more parents are choosing screen time, with 41% turning to video games and nearly a third using smartphones and tablets during these summer days.
Parents blame time constraints for lack of play
The survey by Sudocrem found 71% of parents acknowledge that their kids actually prefer outdoor play.
However, there’s a noticeable shift from previous generations—59% of today’s adults remember loving outdoor play as kids, yet now, 75% of today’s children prefer video games.
Despite these trends, children are eager to play with their parents, asking at least three times a day on average. However, many parents feel constrained—55% say they simply don’t have enough time, often due to long working hours (59%), lack of free time (53%), or just feeling too tired (32%).
An overwhelming 93% of parents still believe in the importance of outdoor play, while 89% are eager to carve out more time for outdoor adventures, knowing how much their kids love it.
Ideas for outdoor play this summer
Maddie Moate, children's TV presenter and educational YouTuber, has given us her top tips to make outdoor play a bigger part of your family's summer.
- Unleash your inner child – Don’t be afraid to get silly and spontaneous. Remember your favourite childhood games and share them with your kids.
- Find new forms of outdoor fun – Activities like sandboxes, trampolines, or even a simple kite can provide hours of entertainment. Consider creating a treasure hunt to keep things imaginative.
- Follow your child's lead – If you’re unsure how to start, let your child take the reins and set the pace.
- Incorporate play into everyday routines – If time is tight, try turning daily chores like gardening or dog walking into playful activities.
- Be well-equipped – Keep essentials like sun cream, hats, and wellies handy so you’re always ready for outdoor adventures, no matter the summer weather.
- Find new forms of outdoor fun – Activities like sandboxes, trampolines, or even a simple kite can provide hours of entertainment. Consider creating a treasure hunt to keep things imaginative.
Maddie told us: "You can't go wrong with a nature hunt, finding sticks, stones, leaves, mini-beasts, and then taking them and turning them into a secondary activity like nature art.
"Can you create an obstacle course, and time it to create some friendly competition?
"Also, chalk is really cheap for creating hopscotch, obstacle courses, throwing targets for the garden or on a pavement.
"And den building, with household items, is super simple.
"Weather in the UK can be unpredictable too, so a little toolkit of your wellies and an umbrella could really help as well."