Give kids outdoor fun, not iPads

According to researchers, children as young as three show concern for the welfare of others.

According to researchers, children as young as three show concern for the welfare of others.

Published Dec 23, 2013

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London - Skimming stones, climbing trees and looking for pond insects once filled the days of every child.

But nowadays children are more likely to pick up an iPad than contemplate building a den or hunting for bugs outside.

That trend is likely to continue this Christmas, with parents predicted to spend an average of £600 (about R9 600) on gadgets for children.

In an effort to entice youngsters away from screens, campaigners are urging parents to get their children outdoors.

The Wild Network group, headed by the National Trust, is distributing ‘Wild Time’ vouchers to be given as gifts by parents to their children. They can be downloaded and sign up parents to activities with their child outdoors. More than four in five adults say their children spend less time playing outside than they did at their age, according to research for the National Trust. A spokesperson said: “It’s time that we reclaimed wild time for kids, the time spent playing outdoors.

“For many of us it’s something that we took for granted when growing up but it has become a rarity for many children today.”

Andy Simpson, of the Wild Network added: “We’re encouraging parents to think about swapping some of their kids’ everyday screen time for wild time.” - Daily Mail

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