Screen addiction the biggest barrier to kids playing outdoors

AUSSIE kids spend 20 hours a week glued to screens, but just six hours playing outside after school and on weekends, a survey has found.

AUSSIE kids spend 20 hours a week glued to screens, but just six hours playing outside after school and on weekends, a survey has found.

Parents blame their kids, saying screen addiction is the biggest barrier to outdoor play. Fifty-five per cent of parents say their children don’t want to go outside because they’re more interested in TV, smartphones and video games.

The Outdoor Play and Learning in Australia study of 1000 parents found most think children benefit from getting dirty and playing outside, but just over half make outdoor play a daily routine.

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Maya (front) with fellow kinder kids Mia, Mariana, Remy, Asha and Emma at Hartnett House. Picture: Alex Coppel

Eighty-three per cent of mums and dads worry that their children are losing contact with the natural world, and yet they let other priorities act as a barrier for them to get out and play.

The report was published today, in the lead-up to Outdoor Classroom Day, which will be held on Thursday.

The event, designed to ­inspire outdoor play, is organised by non-profit organ­isation Nature Play with support from OMO.

The study found three-quarters of parents say safety concerns make it harder for kids to get outside, and 68 per cent say over-scheduling gets in the way.

Children spend just 9 per cent of time each week playing outside (excluding school time) but 15 per cent watching TV, 16 per cent on other screens and 8 per cent doing organised   sport  or  activities.

Nature Play chief executive Griffin Longley says more than 2000 schools and early learning centres are registered to take part in Outdoor Classroom Day. Picture: Ric Frearson

About 80 per cent of parents said they would support more outdoor learning time at their child’s school and would like more outdoor learning in the curriculum.

Nature Play chief executive Griffin Longley said more than 2000 schools and early learning centres were registered to take part in Outdoor Classroom Day.

“It’s a chance to celebrate and inspire outdoor play and learning in our schools so it can become part of every day in the future,” he said,

Hartnett House in Brunswick is one place where kids are encouraged to play outside for as long as they can.

A $700,000 grant from the state government has given the non-profit childcare centre, run by Melbourne City Mission, an overhaul.

“It is essential our children can explore outside as outdoor play is intrinsically valuable to a child’s social, physical and emotional wellbeing,” Melbourne City Mission CEO Vicki Sutton said.

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