News Copy – By Astrid Hall
Millions of kids want to learn more traditional skills but have parents who lack the knowledge to teach them, a study has found.
With summer holidays right around the corner, kids are getting excited at the prospect of six weeks to explore and play but parents are worried about what their youngsters are keen to learn.
Six in 10 wished they were better equipped to educate their children, with more than half admitting they feel embarrassed at how little they can pass on to their offspring.
One in 20 even confessed to being totally clueless if they had to teach their little one something new.
But while two fifths reckon their child’s grandparents would be able to teach the countless skills kids want to learn, they are more likely to turn to Google over asking an older relative.
How to build and cook on a campfire is among the skills kids want to learn but parents don’t have the knowledge of, along with putting up a tent, building a raft and building a fishing trap.
The study of 2,000 parents was conducted by Haven holidays to help inform their Nature Rockz programme, which aims to help both kids and adults learn some of those more traditional, outdoor skills in a safe and relaxed space with trained experts.
Parenting expert, Livvy Gormally, from Let’s Ask Livvy, said: “Doing activities as a family and learning together can encourage kids to try something new helping them to build confidence and boost resilience.
“For some children and parents the relaxed environment of an outside family experience can make learning seem more fun and accessible than a traditional learning environment.”
More than half of mums and dads couldn’t confidently show their little one how to toast a marshmallow, with nearly nine in 10 unsure how to build a raft.
It also emerged millennial parents, aged 25 to 34, are struggling the most when their little ones want to learn new skills.
Just 17 per cent are confident they could build a campfire compared to a third of those aged 45 to 54.
The study also found that despite a third of parents thinking their little ones would opt to play inside, the great outdoors was in fact the top place for both kids and parents to play and learn.
Almost half of kids enjoy the outdoors because they aquire new skills, with a third agreeing it allows them to learn new things about their families.
But with parents only spending 86 minutes a week outdoors with their kids, two thirds wish they spent more time with their family outside, teaching them new skills.
Mums and dads also struggle to spend more time together outside because they are too busy with work, don’t feel they can afford it or feel their children have too much homework to do.
Livvy Gormally added: “Talking about shared experiences or reminiscing about experiences you enjoyed when you were a child can be a great way to encourage language and communication skills in younger children.
“It can also encourage conversation in the less communicative age groups who may be more resistant to talk about school, homework or their social lives.”
The study also found if kids ruled the roost on picking the family holiday, adventure holidays with plenty of activities and trips to the beach were the top two choices.
Simon Palmer, head of activities and leisure at Haven said: “We are proud that all of our 36 parks are located on some of the UK’s best coastlines.
“With Nature Rockz we wanted to create a program of activities that would help educate children and adults about these unique environments, whilst also providing them with a chance to have fun together and learn something new as a family outdoors.”
Haven’s Nature Rockz activities are available at all of Haven’s 36 holiday parks, and this September will be launching a special ‘How to be a Ranger’ day programme at Perran Sands Holiday Park, Perranporth, to families who book a three-night stay on selected dates in September. To find out more visit www.haven.com
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