Now, more than ever before, children are drawn to the great indoors. In my generation, along with generations before me, I spent the majority of my childhood outside. By the end of summer, my friends and I would come home sun-kissed, proud of the experiences we cultivated and eager for the next summer season.
The lifestyle of most American children today is vastly different than when I was younger. Now, children have access to endless forms of entertainment at their fingertips. Between TikTok, Instagram, countless video game options and online streaming, spending time outside has lost much of its appeal.
New survey on childhood recreation interests
A sports retailer based in the UK, called Decathlon, conducted a survey among 2,000 British parents and children in an effort to expand their knowledge base regarding the recreational trends of today’s youth.
The researchers discovered a surprising lack of interest in spending time outdoors among children. In fact, most adolescents prefer online activities as opposed to spending time outside. Furthermore, 10% of children stated they would rather complete their homework and household chores than spend time outdoors. In addition to these findings, this survey revealed that 40% of kids have never gone camping, and over 50% have never climbed a tree.
How do parents feel about their children spending so much time indoors? According to this survey, over 67% of parents are worried, and over 75% acknowledged spending significantly more time outdoors when they were children. When asked about the ease of encouraging their children to play outdoors, 40% of parents stated they found it difficult to motivate their children to leave the house at all.
Health consequences of avoiding the outdoors through childhood years
Aside from missing out on a wide range of fun physical activities, what else may today’s youth be missing out on? You guessed it, natural vitamin D production! Without consistent, mid-day sun exposure, children simply cannot produce enough vitamin D to meet their body’s needs. So, what are the consequences childhood vitamin D deficiency? To name a few, behavioral problems, stunted growth, respiratory infections, dental caries and impaired executive functioning.
Interested in weighing in on the matter, connect with a member of our team to start the discussion!