A survey of 1,000 city-dwelling parents and their children aged six to 12 revealed that 21% of kids have never tried climbing a tree, while 35% have never slept in a tent.
Other activities they’ve missed out on include camping (32%), eating a meal cooked on a camp stove (39%), or going crabbing in rockpools (41%). Shockingly, 39% of urban children only visit the countryside a maximum of three times a year.
The research, commissioned by The Camping and Caravanning Club, coincides with new Club president, Hamza Yassin launching an initiative to provide people with essential wildlife and camping experiences.
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Wildlife cameraman and Strictly champion Hamza, who introduced more than 40 first-time campers to the countryside and British wildlife, said: “I love going camping, connecting with nature and experiencing wildlife.”
“It’s something I believe all children should have the opportunity to do because let’s face it they are the future when it comes to protecting our natural world.”
“It was great to be able to introduce families to the joy of camping and show how it really puts you on nature’s doorstep giving them the chance to learn about the incredible outdoors and all the benefits it can bring.”
The study also discovered that 63% of parents whose child has visited a rural area believe their youngster would like to experience it more.
According to a survey, 46% of parents said their children often express an interest in visiting the countryside. However, 54% of those who don’t visit rural areas as much as they would like to cited ‘lack of time’ as the biggest reason for this.
The OnePoll.com data also revealed that 36% find distance the biggest barrier. Despite these challenges, 55% of all parents claim their child prefers being outdoors rather than indoors and 31% believe them to be very interested in nature and wildlife.
Sabina Voysey, director general of The Camping and Caravanning Club, which is launching a competition to win camping experiences and equipment, commented: “Spending time in the outdoors through camping can be an amazing experience for children, giving them a sense of wonder and freedom.”
“It’s a great way to connect with nature, see wildlife up close and learn skills such as map reading, cooking and pitching a tent. It’s beneficial in so many ways. The research shows that unfortunately not all children have easy access to the wonderful outdoors for various reasons, which is something we wanted to change through our work with our new president, Hamza.”
The research also discovered that a whopping 88% of parents believe it is important for their son or daughter to experience the great outdoors, with 87% wishing they had more outdoor learning opportunities at school.
However, a worrying 54% of parents who think their child doesn’t spend enough time outdoors often fret that they could be missing out on essential childhood experiences.