72% OF PARENTS WANT MORE TIME TO PLAY WITH THEIR CHILDREN

3 August 2009

Figures released today for Playday 2009 show that nearly three-quarters of parents (72%) want more time to play with their children.

The ICM survey commissioned by Play England found that more than half of parents (52%) feel that work, or other unavoidable commitments, limit their time to support their children to play. This pressure is intensified by the fact that half of parents say there aren’t enough places where they live, for children to play safely without an adult.

The research also found that children are facing pressures on their time too, with homework and extra-curricular activities impacting heavily on children’s free time. A third of children (34%) and a quarter of 7-8 year olds (25%) report that homework often stops them playing, and nearly half of adults (47%), think children should go to fewer extra-curricular activities. 

Children told researchers that being denied time to play makes them feel bored, unhappy and miss their friends. Parents recognise this, and report that children are naughty (72%) and angry (62%) if they haven’t had enough time to play.

Adrian Voce, Director of Play England, said: ‘Children and adults alike are telling us that the pressures of modern life are restricting time for children to play and that this makes them unhappy. Play is vital for children’s health, learning and development. Most importantly, play is fundamental to their enjoyment of childhood; it can’t be taken for granted. All of us, not just parents, have a part to play in allowing and supporting children to play.’

When asked what should happen for children to have more time to play, 73% of adults surveyed (increasing to 76% of parents) said they would like more places to play where children can go independently, and 61% (rising to 66% of parents) would like flexible working arrangements for parents.

Playday is the annual celebration of children’s right to play. This year over 700 locally organised events will take place across the UK to celebrate Playday on Wednesday 5 August 2009. This year’s theme – Make time! is calling on everyone, including parents, carers, teachers, policy makers and planners, to think about what they can do to ensure children can play.

To mark Playday, Play England has published a body of research, which looks at adults and children’s time commitments and how this effects children’s time to play. 

 

- ENDS-

 

Notes for editors:

1. ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1037 adults aged 18 + by telephone between 24 – 25 June 2009. Interviews were conducted across the UK and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. They also interviewed a random sample of 1030 children and young people aged 7 – 14 across the UK by telephone between 19 June – 30 July 2009. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at http://www.icmresearch.co.uk/.

2. Further research to support the Make time! campaign is will be published on the Playday website – http://www.playday.org.uk/– on Monday 3 August 2009. Embargoed advance copies are available on request.

  • ICM opinion poll summary
  • Review of published literature on children’s time to play
  • Qualitative research from focus groups with children and young people

3. To arrange an interview with a Playday expert, find information on local Playday events, or for quotes or interviews with children and parents from across the UK, call Clare Quarrell on 020 7843 6044/07721 097033 or email media@ncb.org.uk. 

4. For further information on specific local Playday events visit the Playday website at http://www.playday.org.uk/

5. Playday is the annual celebration of children’s right to play. The campaign is coordinated by Play England, based at NCB (www.ncb.org.uk), working in partnership with PlayBoard Northern Ireland, Play Scotland and Play Wales. On Playday and throughout the summer of 2009, children, young people and communities will get out and play at hundreds of locally organised events across the UK. This year’s Playday campaign theme, Make time! highlights that all children have the right to play and need time and space to play. The campaign is calling on everyone, including parents, carers, teachers, policy makers and planners, to think about what they can do to ensure children can play.

6. Play England promotes excellent free play opportunities for all children and young people. Play England provides advice and support to promote good practice, and works to ensure that the importance of play is recognised by policy makers, planners and the public. Play England is part of NCB and is funded by the Big Lottery Fund. For further information visit http://www.playengland.org.uk/

 

For further information on this release contact:

Clare Quarrell, Anna Tombs, Aoife Allen - NCB Media Office

Tel: 020 7843 6044/6045/6047/07721 097033

Email: media@ncb.org.uk