A new survey suggests that parents across the country are bringing up a generation of screen kids, with as many as one in five kids claiming they would rather be at the computer than outside.The 2008 outdoor play survey from TP Toys also showed that on a typical day during the school holidays, almost 40% of UK children spend one to two hours in front of a TV or computer screen while 6% spend more than 4 hours in front of a screen during their time away from school.
The survey also revealed that parents across the country acknowledge the problem of their kids being reluctant to enjoy outdoor play, with 47% of parents admitting that their children don't go out as much as they would like. 4% of parents claimed the reason for this was the lack if a decent park or play area to take their kids to, while a worrying number of parents admitted that they didn't feel safe taking their children to the park.
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Despite kids perhaps not spending much time in the park, the survey revealed that a large percentage of families across Britain own a number of outdoor toys for use in their gardens. The most popular item of garden play furniture was shown to be a slide, owned by almost two thirds of families, while over half own a swing set. The survey also revealed that 25% of parents have not bought any play equipment for their garden, with a further 18% claiming that they felt outdoor toys are too expensive.
It would seem that the good old days of spending your formative years enjoying playing outside seem to be well and truly over. Worryingly we are rearing a generation of screen kids who are more likely to be playing a computer game than hide and seek. It is vital that children spend time outside so they can benefit from fresh air, exercise and the interaction that gives them confidence and helps them to learn important social skills. There is so much that they can learn and enjoy outside that parents really need to ensure that their children spend as much time having fun outside as they did when they were growing up.
June 2008
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