Parents are 'putting adult fears ahead of kids' fun' on outdoor play activities
24/08/2009 Parents are 'putting adult fears ahead of kids' fun' on outdoor play activities
An expert has warned that parents are putting their fears about children getting hurt above letting their youngsters have fun.
Mother-of-two Dr Perdita Barran told the BBC that being worried about clothes getting dirty or the children getting muddy also had become a reason for not going to the park or for a walk.
She said: "If a small child sees a puddle their first instinct is to jump in it."
It can be inconvenient to drag a child around all day in the wet clothes, she said, but argues all that is needed to avoid that is a little bit of planning.
"It's about a change of mindset. If it rains, children can still go out and play in the garden."
Leading childhood and play expert Tim Gill told the news provider that adults had forgotten how much fun it is for children to be out in the rain and jumping in puddles and that there was a sense in which some younger parents themselves haven't been outdoors to play much.
Research by Bupa found that children should be taking part in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, indoors or outdoors, but four out of ten boys and six out of ten girls don't reach this target.
An expert has warned that parents are putting their fears about children getting hurt above letting their youngsters have fun.
Mother-of-two Dr Perdita Barran told the BBC that being worried about clothes getting dirty or the children getting muddy also had become a reason for not going to the park or for a walk.
She said: "If a small child sees a puddle their first instinct is to jump in it."
It can be inconvenient to drag a child around all day in the wet clothes, she said, but argues all that is needed to avoid that is a little bit of planning.
"It's about a change of mindset. If it rains, children can still go out and play in the garden."
Leading childhood and play expert Tim Gill told the news provider that adults had forgotten how much fun it is for children to be out in the rain and jumping in puddles and that there was a sense in which some younger parents themselves haven't been outdoors to play much.
Research by Bupa found that children should be taking part in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, indoors or outdoors, but four out of ten boys and six out of ten girls don't reach this target.
