Nursery World - Children afraid to play outdoors

The Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Charles Clarke, last month said that the Government had 'not quite got it right' on the issue of outdoor play. Speaking at the launch of a new report, A Child's Place: why environment matters to children, Mr Clarke acknowledged that the report raises a 'whole string of issues which are complicated and difficult', in relation to children's relationship with their environment.

Speaking at the launch of a new report, A Child's Place: why environment matters to children, Mr Clarke acknowledged that the report raises a 'whole string of issues which are complicated and difficult', in relation to children's relationship with their environment.

The report, by the Green Alliance and think tank Demos, revealed that children aged ten and 11 are afraid to play outdoors because of the dangers associated with traffic, kidnapping and terrorism.

Guy Thompson, director of Green Alliance and one of the report's authors, said that despite the fact that children have an 'innate desire to explore their natural surroundings', some are at risk of becoming 'disconnected from the environment because the opportunities to access quality spaces are diminishing'.

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