1 in 4 Brit youngsters never go out to play: Study
January 20th, 2011 - 6:25 pm ICT by ANILondon, Jan 20 (ANI): One in four youngsters never play outside with TV and cinema the most popular activity for five to 16-year-olds, followed by video gaming and going online, according to a new UK study.
A survey of 1,000 parents and 500 children for the Arla Foods campaign showed the average member of the ‘Indoor Generation’ spends twice as much leisure time indoors than outside.
While seven in 10 parents blamed the weather for their youngsters spending hours in front of screens, 45 percent said safety concerns were a key factor, reports the Daily Express.
The results showed 71 percent of parents think their children are happier when they play outdoors and 92 percent believe outdoor play is good for their children’s health.
Yet, a third of parents think their child is more interested in indoor activities.
The study found 16 hours a week was dedicated to watching TV with just eight spent out in the open.”When I was at school, I would come home, dump my bag, jump over the fence and ramble until it was way past dark,” said TV naturalist Chris Packham, who is backing the Kids Closer to Nature campaign launched by Arla Foods.
“Now, I never see young people in the countryside where I live. I don’t see boys kicking a football, riding bikes, climbing trees or making dens,” he added. (ANI)
- Parents hiding themselves, keeping kids at home - Aug 01, 2011
- Let your kids play freely: Experts - Aug 29, 2011
- Kids, parents should realise outdoor play is vital: Experts - Nov 13, 2010
- British parents regret gifting gadgets to kids - Jun 01, 2012
- Kids who play football have more friends - Dec 28, 2011
- British kids seek quality time from parents, not gifts - Sep 15, 2011
- Too much TV 'will put kids' heart at risk' - Apr 21, 2011
- Wine and dine al fresco in capital weather - Jan 28, 2012
- One in five Brit kids have never climbed a tree, visited a farm - Aug 16, 2010
- British parents bribe kids to read - Nov 04, 2010
- Camping makes people happier than five-star holidays! - Apr 25, 2011
- Putting kids to bed 'is the most stressful task for parents' - Apr 07, 2011
- Puzzle solving helps infants pick up math skills - Feb 17, 2012
- Go kayaking, wall climbing at Indian 'activotel'! (With Images) - Feb 24, 2012
- Encourage kids to be active during leisure time - Mar 17, 2011
Tags: 16 year olds, arla foods, brit, chris packham, cinema, countryside, daily express, fence, kicking a football, leisure time, london jan, naturalist, outdoor play, riding bikes, safety concerns, screens, video gaming, watching tv, weather, youngsters