Parents are also worried that traditional outdoor games they grew up playing face extinction due to the rise of activities like video gaming. In response to the findings, Capri-Sun wants to help inspire parents to play outdoors with their children more.
Parenting on Female First
So, the drinks brand has worked with play expert Gail Ryder Richardson from Outdoor Matters to create the ultimate summer activities list: ‘21 outdoor activities to do with your child before summer ends.’ Though it's back to school soon, there's no reason why families shouldn't enjoy these activities on the weekend or even the half-term holidays, after all, we have been promised some late summer sun (scroll down for the list of activities).
Motivating the parents
Some recent commentary blames schools for limiting the activities that children engage with – but recent research shows mums and dads feel that parents themselves are responsible with 60 per cent saying that parents can be lazy when it comes to playing outdoors with their children, and so should should take their children out to play more.
The majority of people (65 per cent) also think that parents should take responsibility for encouraging their children to exercise and not look to place blame elsewhere, so Capri-Sun’s handy guide will help give parents ideas for playful exercise.
Bring back old fashioned outdoor games
Tree climbing and go kart-making might have lost ground to online social networking and Super Mario Kart but more than half of parents are worried that children today don’t play the same outdoor games as they did, and 45 per cent want their children to return to simpler times by having a gadget-free play day each week.
The summer of sport has clearly provided extra motivation to play outside most parents (87 per cent) think that activity outdoors trumps sofa surfing.
Gail Ryder Richardson of Outdoors Matters who has worked in the Early Years sector for over 25 years and has a particular passion for using the outdoor environment to support children’s learning and development, said: “Playing outdoors, particularly in natural settings, has a positive impact on the lives of children and adults, it’s as simple as that.
"Regular energetic outdoor play makes children healthier and happier – both physically and emotionally. It nurtures their sense of wellbeing, and is effective at helping them to feel connected to the world they live in.
"Outdoor activities, such as tree climbing and den building, encourage important life skills; including negotiation, co-operation, problem solving and risk management, as well as supporting children to become more responsible and more independent.
"When parents value the outdoor environment children learn to value it too. Parents who make the time to get involved in fun outdoor play with their child enjoy this shared experience. It is easy and cheap to spend time outdoors –and everyone benefits," she added.
The ‘Judy Murray effect’
Inspired by athletes’ parents like Judy Murray and Bert Le Clos, UK parents want to do more to encourage their children into exercise. The majority of parents (61 per cent) reckon they should set a positive example to their children when it comes to exercise and being active and 59 per cent think that parents should play outside with their children more.
However, more than a third (39 per cent) believe that overly pushy and aggressive parents are a put-off to young people when it comes to competitive sport.
Hannah Richards, Brand Manager at Capri Sun said: “Today’s mums and dads are more time poor than previous generations. However, inspired by the summer of sport, they want to be able to encourage their children to play and participate in it.
"A great common ground is outdoor activities and with our list of nostalgic activities, parents can relive their own childhood whilst encouraging their own children to play outdoors," she added.
Capri-Sun's new bucket list of 21 nostalgic outdoor family activities:
1. Learn to ride a bike
2. Climb over a fence
3. Run through a water sprinkler
4. Mud pies
5. Hide and Seek
6. Play rounders
7. Explore rockpools
8. British bulldog
9. Build a den
10. Manke an obstacle course
11. Host a paper boat contest
12. Flashligt tag
13. Go Crabbing
14. Play in a cave
15. Cowboys and Indians
16. Build and fly a kite
17. Dam a stream
18. Build a rope swing
19. Build a go-kart
20. Build a tree house
21. Build a campfire