Bring back the freedom to roam. Children are suffering without it.

Many of us have fond childhood memories of playing out until the street lights came on, enjoying our first taste of freedom. Yet today’s children are missing out on those same experiences.

We know that independent outdoor play is linked to better health and wellbeing, including lower anxiety, more positive emotions and more physical activity; some of the key childhood health challenges that we currently face.

Yet findings from the 2025 British Children’s Play Survey paint a picture of a country that is not doing enough to support children’s outdoor play. Parents report that their children are starting independent outdoor play later than they themselves did. Children are now nearly 11 before they start playing out on their own, exploring the world for themselves, meeting up with friends and having adventures. All of it helps build independence and resilience. In contrast, parents report that they were aged nine when they first played outdoors.

There are myriad reasons for this shift away from independent outdoor play. Lack of accessible, high-quality, inviting spaces for play, the pull of indoor screen-based activities, risks posed by more cars and traffic and changes in social norms are all factors.

The generational play gap revealed in our new research provides more evidence that children across the country are missing out on opportunities for independent outdoor play. These are crucial opportunities that could make a big difference later in life. Research published earlier this year showed that, for children aged between two and four, each extra day of outdoor play a week raises the chance of good mental health by up to 14 per cent by the age of eight.

That’s why we have established the Outdoor Play Research Centre at the University of Exeter. We know play is good for children. And we know children are engaging in less and less of the sort of play that supports their mental and physical health and equips them for fulfilling lives.

The Outdoor Play Research Centre is being founded on the principle that we must do better for our children. We want to see a step change for children’s independent outdoor play. We will conduct the scientific research needed to drive this change and partner with a wide range of organisations to deliver it.

Play is so fundamental that it can be taken for granted and forgotten. To do so is to let down our children. You’ll be hearing much more from the Centre in the weeks, months and years to come as we seek to help parents and policymakers create a world that encourages and celebrates outdoor play.

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Helen Dodd is the Director of the Outdoor Play Research Centre.

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