National Playday 2011
Tuesday 2nd August 2011
Wednesday 3rd August is National Playday. It is the annual celebration of the child`s right to play and a fantastic opportunity for parents to participate in play with their children.
This year’s theme for Playday is simply Get out and Play.
PlayBoard is asking parents to Get out and Play with their children. For local Playday Events contact your local Council.
Recent research from Savlon on behalf of Playday found that:
Many of parent’s fondest childhood memories are of playing outside, however, outdoor activities that for parents were part of growing up seem to be in danger of disappearing:
- 42 per cent of children report they have never made a daisy chain
- 32 per cent have never climbed a tree
- A quarter of children today have never had the simple pleasure of rolling down a hill
- 47 per cent of adults built dens every week as a child, yet 29 per cent of today’s children say they have never built a den at all
- A third of children have never played hopscotch
- One in ten children have never ridden a bike
The research confirms parents’ concerns that children are no longer spending their time playing outdoors. 72 per cent of adults played outside rather than indoors, compared to 40 per cent of children today, with children now at risk of losing out on essential childhood experiences that outdoor play brings.
7 out of 10 parents feel that taking their children to an outside space to play is a real treat and children feel the same, with a reported 59 per cent that wish they could play outside in natural places more.
www.playday.org.uk
For more information on the research visit: http://www.playday.org.uk/media/local__regional_media.aspx
Back to News
