Staying indoors whilst the Sun Shines!

With the Summer holidays upon us, parents will be having to think of things to do to keep their children occupied and with the weather looking like it is going to stay sunny for a while (on and off!), outdoor activities would be an obvious choice.

However a recent survey claims that 6 out of 10 mums are encouraging their kids NOT to play outside because apparently it is easier to look after them indoors.

The poll was taken from 2000 mums with children aged 7 to 12 years old. It showed that the average child spent less than 3 hours a week playing with friends and with some of the answers that the mothers gave, you can understand why this is the case.

59 percent of the mums asked blamed stranger danger as the reason they kept their children indoors, whilst 43 percent of them said they wouldn't let their children go cycling with friends. And over a third of these mums would stop their children camping in the back garden.

Enver Solomon from the National Children's Bureau said "It is the critical life skills learnt through play that help children cope with the risks and challenges that they will face throughout life."

"It is a dilemma that all parents face wanting their children to grow up strong, confident and independent but also wanting to keep them safe from harm."

My eldest child is 7 years old and I have to admit that so far she hasn't been allowed to go off by herself with friends to play but she does play out in our back garden where I can keep an eye on her.

So what is your opinion as a parent? Do your children play inside more than they do outside? Do you think there are ways of providing a safer environment for our kids to play outdoors?

Author:- Chantelle Hazelden from  MamaMummyMum