When you think of children playing, what do you think of – playing on the street, in the garden, with toys?
That may have been true back in the day, but in our modern era, it may now be video games or scrolling on their phone.
We all know that digital devices aren’t necessarily the best for our kids, but how important is ‘typical’ play?
Let’s find out…
How many children actually play?
1. 75% of children under 12 aren’t getting enough active free play. (Source: PR Newswire)
2. 5% of one to four-year-olds are experiencing a deficit of active free play. (Source: PR Newswire)
3. This number increases to 77% for nine to twelve-year-olds. (Source: PR Newswire)
4. Only one in four boys and one in five girls in England get the recommended 60 minutes of activity every day. (Source: Children’s Commissioner)
5. For nearly a third of children, a lack of time is the biggest barrier to active free play. (Source: PR Newswire)
6. Almost two-thirds of one to four-year-olds may be missing out on structured social play. (Source: PR Newswire)
7. Over 68% of five to eight-year-olds don’t get the recommended amount of pretend play. (Source: PR Newswire)
8. Children aged five to fifteen spend nearly two hours each day online during the week and almost three hours a day on the weekends. (Source: Children’s Commissioner)
What about playing out?
9. In one generation, outdoor play has decreased by 71% in the UK. (Source: Child and Family)
10. Less than one in ten children regularly play in wild spaces. (Source: UK Youth)
11. Children now spend only four hours a week playing out. (Source: Children’s Commissioner)
12. Children who have outdoor time are 42% less likely to be overweight. (Source: NPR)
Why is play so important?
13. Play is more than entertainment for children, with 80% of brain development completed at three years old. (Source: Research Outreach)
14. This increases to 90% at five. (Source: Research Outreach)
15. Playing enhances a child’s adjustment, language, and emotional and social stability by 33%. (Source: Parenting for Brain)
16. Children who play with toys in early childhood have a higher IQ at 3. (Source: Parenting for Brain)
17. This increases again at 4.5. (Source: Parenting for Brain)
What do the teachers say about play?
18. 86% of teachers reveal that outdoor play gives children a better understanding of the environment. (Source: Outdoor Classroom Day)
19. 97% of teachers say that play is critical for children to reach their full potential. (Source: Outdoor Classroom Day)
20. 88% of teachers believe that children are happier after playing outdoors. (Source: Outdoor Classroom Day)
