“I’m going out.”
For generations of children, those three words were enough.
You grabbed a bike, football or scooter, knocked on a friend’s door and disappeared for a while.
There wasn’t necessarily a plan. There certainly wasn’t a timetable. And most of the time, there wasn’t an adult organising it.
You just played out.
New research reported by MadeForMums found that children are now typically almost 11 before they’re allowed to be playing out independently.
Their parents? They were given that freedom around a year earlier.
And 56% of parents surveyed said they give their children independence later than they themselves had it growing up.
It got me thinking about what we’ve lost from childhood.
Not organised football.
Not swimming lessons.
Not clubs, classes or activities arranged by adults.
Just playing out.
Knocking on someone’s door.
Getting your bike.
Making up a game.
Climbing something you probably shouldn’t.
Coming home when you’re hungry.
And yes, occasionally being bored enough to invent something to do.
We’ve created Childhood. Unscreened. at Super Naturelly around a belief that kids need more opportunities to get out there, move, play and experience some freedom.
And unscreened deliberately means two things.
Less time looking through a screen.
But also childhood that’s a little less filtered, organised and controlled.
Of course the world has changed. Parents have legitimate concerns about roads, safety and where their children are.
But 25 minutes a week should still make us think.
Because perhaps getting children playing out again isn’t only about telling them to put their phones down.
Maybe we also need to give them somewhere to go — and the freedom to go there.
Less scrolling. More playing.
Childhood. Unscreened.
How much freedom did you have to play out as a child — and would you give your children the same today?
Read the MadeforMums article here
#ChildhoodUnscreened #OutdoorPlay #Play #Childhood #Kids #Parenting #SuperNaturelly
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