Why the park beats the Wii

Jul 13 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

PLAYING in the park is the top childhood memory for adults in the North East. A survey of parents across the North East by the National Trust found the park was the favourite memory for 28%, building a snowman and going sledging came second (27%) and outdoor swimming and den making both scored 20%.

This contrasts with 79% of today’s children who say they want to get outside more as they spend too much of their time indoors, watching TV or playing computer games, activities which few adults (4%) remember as being highlights of their childhood.

Other adult childhood memories included seeing wildlife in its natural habitat; learning to ride a bike; swimming in a British sea, lake or river; climbing trees; going to the cinema for the first time; rides at a theme park; flying a kite; rowing a boat/canoeing.

The survey in the North East also found:

37% of children now spend less than an hour a day outdoors.

23% of youngsters spend more than 14 hours a week in front of a TV or computer screen.

88% of parents wish their children spent more time outside . Yet one in four won’t allow them to do the things they did as children because they are worried about safety.

One in four North East children has played tennis in the past year, but nearly twice as many have played the sport on computers such as Nintendo Wiis or Xboxes.

The survey results come as the National Trust’s Gibside estate at Rowlands Gill opens its natural playscape area.

This is a woodland play space including special features where children can create their own dens, cross log bridges, make mud pies, crawl through tunnels and along climbing walls and tackle low ropes challenge deeper in the woods.

Mick Wilkes, property manager at Gibside, said: “At Gibside we’re passionate about outdoor play. We have acres of green space where children can go wild in a safe environment. “

Child psychologist Tanya Byron said: “Everyone knows about the health benefits of exercise, and the problems of obesity. What is perhaps more important is the fact that the less children play outdoors, the less they learn to cope with the risks and challenges that they will go on to face as adults in everyday life.”

Today the trust launches a national programme of more than 1,000 “wild child” events.

Highlights in the North East include:

Coast and Countryside festival at Souter Lighthouse on Sunday July 19 .

A Buzz about Wallington on July 29 – bee-themed activities and games.

Wild Child week at Gibside August 17 – 21.

Wild Child family trails will also be available at most properties including Cragside and Lindisfarne Castle.