Children now not allowed out to play in the street until they are 11 - and even then it's only for 25 minutes a week

By SHAUN WOOLLER, EXECUTIVE HEALTH EDITOR Published: 17:47, 17 August 2026 | Updated: 17:48, 17 August 2026 Parents now only let their children play outside alone from the age of 11 - and for just 25 minutes a week, a report reveals. Researchers warn today's youth are being increasingly deprived of fresh air and independence that previous generations took for granted from an earlier age. The University of Exeter, which published the report, is opening its Outdoor Play Research Centre to study the benefits of having fun outside and the harms of not getting enough playtime. It surveyed nearly 2,000 parents and caregivers of children aged 5 to 11 who were questioned for the British Children’s Play Survey. More than half (56 per cent) said they permitted their children to engage in independent play at an older age than they had been allowed when they were young. Children are now allowed independent outdoor play at an average of 10.8 years of age, compared with 9.7 years for their parents, which researchers described as a 'significant delay'. Children also play in the street for a mere 25 minutes a week, whereas their parents and grandparents spent hours away from the house. Professor Helen Dodd, director of the Outdoor Play Research Centre, said: '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. Parents now only let their children play outside alone from the age of 11 - and for just 25 minutes a week, a report reveals. '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. '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 work in partnership with a wide range of organisations to deliver it.' Experts at the OPRC blamed the trend on a lack of accessible and high-quality spaces for play, along with increased screen time and risks posed by busy roads. Professor Dodd previously called for 'keep off the grass' and 'no ball games' signs to be removed from green spaces to encourage children to play outdoors. Independent outdoor play has been linked to fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression - and more happiness in 5 to 11-year-olds. Recent research by the University of Exeter found that children who played outdoors more frequently at ages two, three and four were more likely to remain in a low-symptom, good mental health group through to middle childhood. For each additional day that a child plays outdoors in a typical week during the preschool years, the odds of them having a healthy profile of mental health through to age eight increase by between 6 and 14 per cent. Sir Sajid Javid, chairman of the University of Exeter fundraising campaign for the centre, and a former Tory health secretary, said: 'Time spent playing outdoors has a profound influence on mental health and wellbeing and the centre’s work has the potential to improve the lives of children and adults for generations to come. 'This philanthropic endeavour will help us understand how we can give children the best possible start in life.' A separate earlier report found changes in working patterns in the past 30 years have led to parents saying they did not have the time to watch their children, while some children lack the clothes to stay warm or cool. Amber Ogunsanya-William, an inclusive play consultant and the inaugural NSPCC Champion of Childhood, said: 'Play isn’t a privilege, it’s a fundamental part of development, ensuring children have the tools they need to mature into adults.'