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Recently, the media has been increasingly reporting the reduction in outdoor play accessed by children and the detrimental effects this can have on them. Newspapers, over recent years, have published survey results showing potentially concerning results:

  • A quarter of children spend less than 30 minutes playing outdoors a week.
  • 80% of parents admitted not encouraging their children to play outside because of safety concerns.
  • 60% of parents acknowledged there were now more enticing things for children to do indoors e.g. playing computer games or watching T.V.
  • The average child spends just 4 hours a week playing outside, this is half the amount time than that of the previous generation.
  • The majority of parents admitted their children did not play outdoors as much as they did during their own childhood.
  • 43% of parents admitted they rely on school to ensure their children are getting plenty of time outdoors through PE and play times, and spend very little outdoor time with their children themselves.

Efforts have been made by schools and other organisations to tackle the decrease in time children spend outdoors, with initiatives such as the Daily Mile. At Playscheme we acknowledge the importance of outdoor play, which is why we encourage all children to play outside for a minimum of an hour a day.