The British Preschool Children’s Play Survey: When, Where, and How Adventurously Do British Preschool-Aged Children Play?

Background: Outdoor, adventurous play supports physical activity and might help to prevent mental health problems, yet data on preschool-aged children’s outdoor play are scarce.

Method: Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1166 parents/caregivers of children aged 2–4 years (52% male; 88% white) living in Britain. Caregivers reported time children spent playing in 7 locations and corresponding adventure level. Responses were used to derive: total play time, outdoor play time, and adventurous play time (in hours per year). Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and play outcomes were examined, controlling for relevant confounding variables.

Results: Outside of childcare, preschool-aged children spent approximately 4 hours per day playing, with 1 hour 45 minutes spent playing outdoors. Most outdoor play happened in gardens at home. Away from home, children most often played in playgrounds and green spaces. Levels of adventurous play were reported to be highest at indoor play centers, followed by playgrounds and green spaces. Total play differed significantly by location, with children in rural areas spending more time playing (vs urban areas). Child ethnicity was associated with play and outdoor play, with children belonging to minority ethnic groups (vs white) playing less. Child sex was also a significant predictor of outdoor play time: boys (vs girls) spent more time playing outdoors, driven primarily by time spent in green spaces. No associations were found for adventurous play.

Conclusions: These results highlight how inequalities in access to outdoor space at home and good quality local play spaces may impact young children’s play opportunities and, in turn, exacerbate health inequalities.