Wednesday, Jun 16 2010

Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:12 PM on 15th June 2010 

Too much homework and television are stopping children from being children, a poll of parents suggests today.

They believe that children's lives are too structured and pressurised with little time to play.

Homework, extra lessons, after-school clubs and television are all preventing youngsters from enjoying playtime, according to the poll of 2,000 parents

Young boy doing homework at the kitchen table. Too much homework and TV are stopping children from being children, a poll of parents suggests

More than half (51 per cent) of those questioned said children are under more pressure today than ever before, while one in 10 (11 per cent) believe their own youngsters' lives are too structured.

And one in five (20 per cent) say they do not believe their children have enough free time just to be children.

Two thirds (66 per cent) of parents said homework, extra lessons and after-school activities are preventing children from having time to play each day, while almost three in 10 (37 per cent) blamed television.

Almost one in four (23 per cent) cited longer travel to and from school, and clubs and activities as the reason for short playtimes.

The poll, commissioned by The British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) and Play England found that parents say their child spends, on average, 69.77 minutes a day playing.

But they would like their children to spend an extra 72.67 minutes at play 

Nearly half (43 per cent) wished they could spend more time playing with their children.

Dr Amanda Gummer, a psychologist who advises the BTHA, said: 'Play helps a child to develop a whole range of skills from learning how to take turns and share to increasing fitness, creativity and even self-esteem. Through fun and play a child learns about the world around them. 

'This research shows that children today are not getting enough time to play and their parents want to change this.'

The BTHA and Play England are asking parents to make a pledge to allocate more of their children's time to playing. The aim is to get the UK collectively to pledge two million extra play minutes over the next three months.

The poll questioned 2,000 parents with children aged under 13 between June 4-8.