The simple outdoor pleasures missed out on by today's technology-loving children
When you think of your childhood what do you think of? Playing in the mud? Climbing trees? Making daisy chians? It’s these simple pursuits that have defined childhood for generations but it seems those outdoor activities are quickly falling out of favour. Today’s generation of children are increasingly turning to the computer and technology in their spare time.
A survey of 2,000 parents by Eco Attractions has found two third of today’s children have never made a daisy chain and more than 40 per cent have never played in mud. Less than half have built sandcastles at the beach.
Instead, the average child today spends just under five hours a week playing outside. That is less than half the 11 hours their parents’ generation enjoyed.
David Hardy from Eco Attractions said: “Nowadays, children have much more to keep them amused – computers, a host of TV channels and smartphones – something older generations didn’t have. As a result, youngsters are missing out on getting dirty in the mud and puddles or simply spending time in the fresh air.”
He added: “These traditional activities can be a great way of encouraging children to spend more time outdoors, get more exercise and create more memories than they will get from simply sitting in front of a computer or TV screen.”
The top 20 activities that today’s children are missing out on: