Even at the age of two, girls play outside less than boys

The UK’s first national survey of pre-school children’s play has found that girls from the age of two are less likely to play outside in nature than boys.

The research was conducted by the University of Exeter in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. Surveying parents of children aged two to four living in England, Scotland and Wales found early differences in time spent in nature – which can have long-term implications for girls’ health in particular. This is important because girls are less physically active compared to boys and are more likely to have problems with their mental health as they get older.

Helen Dodd, Professor of Child Psychology at the University of Exeter Medical School, co-led the study and was funded by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. She said: “Playing in nature has important benefits for the physical and mental health of all children. When children play outside in nature, they are more likely to be active, play in adventurous ways such as climbing trees, and connect with and learn about nature.

“Problems can arise when children have not had sufficient opportunities to play adventurously and learn to deal with feelings of uncertainty and fear in a playful way. If they have had ample opportunity to explore these feelings and emotions through play, they are less likely to react negatively and feel overwhelmed when faced with challenges such as starting school for the first time.”

Dr. Kathryn Hesketh, a Wellcome-funded postdoctoral researcher at the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge who co-led the study, added: “We were quite surprised by these results – it’s worrying that we’re seeing these at just two years of age.” Differences in the amount of time boys and girls spend playing outside in nature. Older children tend to socialize into certain gender roles, and girls may then spend less time playing outside in nature. We did not expect to see this pattern as early as age two, and given the link between outdoor play and physical activity, girls may be at a disadvantage very early in life.”

The results also showed that preschool children who are from ethnic minorities play less overall than children described as white, and that children who live in rural areas spend more time playing than those who live in urban areas life.

This is the first national survey of preschool children’s play behavior. The sister study, the British Children’s Play Survey, was conducted back in 2020 by Professor Dodd and his team and focused on children aged five to 11. This study showed that children’s freedom to play unsupervised decreases from generation to generation and that children who spent more time playing outdoors had fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. These findings led the research team to launch an innovative new project examining whether a school play improvement program could benefit children’s mental health.

The team has now teamed up with Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) to deliver the program in eight primary schools across the UK. Each school is assigned a dedicated mentor to help children enjoy more stimulating play during breaks and give them the opportunity to take risks in a safe environment. OPAL has worked with over 1,500 schools across the country and this study is the first to evaluate how the program impacts children’s mental health.

Michael Follett, director of OPAL, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the University of Exeter to add to the growing body of research outlining the benefits of risk in play. “We have OPAL schools in over a thousand “We have seen first-hand how important allowing excitement, discovery and adventure through play is for children’s health and well-being.”

Ruth Noall is headteacher at Peasedown St John Primary School in Somerset, which is taking part in the study. She said: “The program has transformed our playing times and the positive impact has been immediate. Before the introduction, our children simply didn’t know what or how to play. There were big car chases or a lot of standing around. As a result, children’s behavior after play was often poor and we spent a lot of time dealing with the consequences. Now there are zones with different types of play and children gravitate towards the zone that suits them best and interests them. The younger children moved forward and were naturally less inhibited, but the program helped us engage the older students and ensure we were listening to their voices and providing play experiences that they also wanted.”

Once the study is completed in 2026, Professor Dodd and her team at the University of Exeter will provide evidence to inform policy and practice around children’s play opportunities in schools, and also explore how this could be implemented in pre-school settings.

The study, entitled “The British Preschool Children’s Play Survey: When, where and how adventurously do British preschool children play?” is published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.