Do you get enough play ?

 

 

Being with Nature (N)
Not simply being outdoors but time spent being in tune with or actually engaging with the rhythm of nature and embracing the organic whilst rejecting the artificial. Examples: surfboarding, sailing, forestry, horse riding, gardening, beachcombing, survival training

¼ of people surveyed spend just 1.5 hours a week engaged in low intensity activities with nature such as gardening, going to the beach and going for picnics

In an average month 60% of people surveyed go walking in the countryside on a regular basis

In an average month 45% of people enjoy gardening

72% of those surveyed never engage in any high intensity activities getting close to nature such as horse riding, beachcombing and wildlife photography

Regional statistics – top tens for each factor:

Nature

1. Plymouth
2. Southampton
3. Swansea
4. Sheffield
5. Leeds
6. Aberdeen
7. Belfast
8. Norwich
9. Newcastle
10. Nottingham

 

Fresh air outdoor activity (O):
Activities sufficiently vigorous as to make you breath fresh air deeply and ones that introduce new skills to your body and mind. Examples: Horse riding, climbing, hill running.

On average, the people surveyed spent less time engaging in outdoors activities in any given month. More than ½ of those surveyed said the most outdoors activity they got was a walk in the garden with 40% saying sitting in a beer garden was the extent of their outdoor activity.

Only 8% said they did anything more vigorous such as hiking with 6% enjoying mountain biking.

22% of those surveyed said they spent an average of seven hours a month engaged in outdoors activities with 8% saying they spent no time engaged in any outdoors activities.

Fresh air outdoor activity

1. Chelmsford
2. Nottingham
3. Liverpool
4. London
5. Norwich
6. Southampton
7. Bristol
8. Leeds
9. Coventry
10. Leicester

 

Family activity (F):
This will involve more than just being with your family, it means sharing experiences, engaging and building interdependence between children and adults.

Spending time with family scored more highly on average.

In an average month:

More than half of the sample surveyed spent at least seven hours a month engaged in low intensity family activities such as watching TV as a family, enjoying meals together, or going shopping with their family.

However on higher intensity family activity (which gives a higher score for the GDA of play), only 1/3 surveyed enjoyed regular family outings such as going to the zoo and less than a ¼ spent time painting and drawing with their children. One third of those surveyed said that in an average month they never engaged in any high-intensity family activities.

Family activity

1. Belfast
2. Leicester
3. Bristol
4. Norwich
5. Liverpool
6. Manchester
7. Chelmsford
8. Southampton
9. Swansea
10. Newcastle

 

Relaxed unstructured fun (R):
This generally involves child like play or playing with the children but by their rules and without imposing the rigid sensibilities of adulthood. It could also involve rambling in a true sense i.e. without maps or any destination or goal apart from fun and enjoyment.

On the whole, the sample surveyed scored lower on relaxed unstructured fun with 44% saying they never engaged in low intensity activity such as playing games with their children and telling jokes.

When it came to higher intensity activities in these categories, 23% said they enjoyed spending time playing on swings with their kids and 15 % paddling in the sea.

Relaxed unstructured fun

1. Bristol
2. Belfast
3. Cardiff
4. Sheffield
5. Southampton
6. Newcastle
7. Liverpool
8. Coventry
9. Leicester
10. Leeds

 

Creative enterprise (CE):
This may be a newly developed skill such as painting or sketching, or even topiary!

Engaging in regular creative activities such as baking cakes, painting by numbers and knitting all scored relatively low with 28% saying they never spent time doing these kinds of activities and 12% saying they spent between one and three hours a month doing these kinds of activities.

More involved creative activities such as learning a musical instrument, writing poetry and drawing scored even lower with more than half confirming they never engaged in any of these sorts of activities.

Creative enterprise

1. Swansea
2. Liverpool
3. Newcastle
4. Leeds
5. Bristol
6. Plymouth
7. Belfast
8. Coventry
9. London
10. Cardiff

 

 

Regional Stats:

League table results

1. Southampton
2. Swansea
3. Belfast
4. Bristol
5. Liverpool
6. Newcastle
7. Sheffield
8. Leeds
9. Plymouth
10. London
11. Leicester
12. Cardiff
12. Norwich
14. Nottingham
15. Coventry
16. Manchester
16. Aberdeen
18. Cambridge
19. Chelmsford
20. Edinburgh
21. Glasgow
22. Birmingham

Overview of regional statistics:

Aberdeen

74% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 5% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a family
79% of people cited a gentle walk in the country as the most extreme outdoor activity
21 % of people spend up to two hours a month enjoying low intensity creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Belfast
89% of people admitted that watching TV was a top leisure activity for them.
55% of people said they spent at least seven hours each month on family activities, including eating meals together and reading to the children
16% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a family
17% of people spend up to two hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Birmingham
43% of people said they up to least seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 5% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a family
13% of people said they spend up to seven hours a month engaged in outdoor activities such as walking the dog, feeding the ducks and going for a jog
12% of people spend up to two hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Bristol
57% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
But only 4% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a family
16% of people said they spend up to seven hours a month engaged in outdoor activities such as walking the dog, feeding the ducks and going for a jog
18% of people spend up to two hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Cambridge
14% of those surveyed said they spent more than seven hours each month engaged with nature.
58% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 7% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill together
7% of people spend up to two hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Cardiff
55% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
16% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill together
19% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent more than seven hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic
3% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying relaxed fun including climbing trees and splashing in puddles

 

Chelmsford
34% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
But no-one said they spend time engaged in higher intensity family activities such as learning a new skill together

16% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to six hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic
17% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Coventry
63% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 4% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a family.
8% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to six hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic
12% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

Edinburgh
3% of people said they spent up to seven hours a month engaged in more extreme outdoor activities including hang gliding and sky diving
2% of people spent up to seven hours a month spending quality time with their family such as learning a new skill and going on adventure weekends together
22% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to six hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic and 3% spend up to four hours a month doing higher intensity activity such as sailing, horse-riding and surfing.

 

Glasgow
3% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities such as writing poetry and learning a musical instrument
11% of people enjoy more active outdoor pursuits including mountain biking
57% of people said they spend up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children
Only 7% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a family

 

Leeds
3% of people enjoy more active outdoor pursuits including mountain biking
52% of people said they spend up to seven hours each month on low intensity family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
8% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying more involved creative activities such as writing poetry and learning a musical instrument

 

Leicester
53% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children
Only 6% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill together.
34% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to six hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic
6% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching.
1% said they spend up to six hours a month participating in more involved creative activities such as writing poetry

 

Liverpool
1% of people enjoy more active outdoor pursuits including mountain biking
55% of people said they spend up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 10% said they spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill together
9% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities such as writing poetry and learning a musical instrument

 

London
4% of people enjoy more active outdoor pursuits including mountain biking
55% of people said they spend up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 10% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill together
4% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying relaxed unstructured fun such as climbing trees and splashing in puddles

 

Manchester
57% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 7% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a family
23% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to seven hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic.
4% said they spend up to four hours a month enjoying more intense activities such as horse riding.
6% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Newcastle
53% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 7% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a family
15% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to seven hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic
13% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Norwich
53% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
54% said they never spend any time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill together
13% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to seven hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic
9% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching.

 

Nottingham
36% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
19% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as making crafts with the children
11% of people of those surveyed said they spend up to two hours each month enjoying relaxed unstructured fun including climbing trees and splashing in puddles
8% of people spend up to six hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching

 

Plymouth
14% of people enjoy more active outdoor pursuits including mountain biking
76% of people said they spend up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 2% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill together
12% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying relaxed unstructured fun such as climbing trees and splashing in puddles

 

Sheffield
53% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 5% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill together
18% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to seven hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic
5% of people spend up to seven hours a month enjoying creative activities including learning a musical instrument and writing poetry.

 

Southampton
27% of those surveyed said they spent more than seven hours each month engaged with nature and 11% enjoyed more intense activities such as beachcombing
49% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children
7% enjoy learning new skills as a family.
16% of people spend up to two hours a month enjoying creative activities including painting by numbers, knitting and sketching, whilst 8% enjoyed more involved creative activities such as playing an instrument and writing poetry

 

Swansea
44% of people said they spent up to seven hours each month on family activities, including watching TV together, eating meals and reading to the children.
Only 6% spend time engaged in higher intensity family activity such as learning a new skill as a group
19% of people spend of those surveyed said they spent up to seven hours each month engaged with nature including gardening, fishing and going for a picnic
12.5% of people spend up to six hours a month enjoying relaxed fun including climbing trees and splashing in puddles and 11% enjoyed more intense activities such as beachcombing