Children who visit parks and playgrounds at least once a week may have better mental health and social development as they grow up.
That’s according to a new study by the University of Exeter, published in Epidemiology and Community Health and funded by the UK Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The research looked at children aged between four and 11, using data from the University of Bristol-based Children of the 90s study – which follows the same children over many years and helps researchers see how changes in their lives relate to their later health.
Researchers found children who were taken to the park at least once a week from birth to 11 years old scored, on average, 16.5 per cent better on their mental health assessments compared to those who visited less than once a week over the same period. The study also considered and controlled for confounding factors such as socioeconomic status and family adversity.
Lead researcher Mark Ferguson of the University of Exeter said: “Our research suggests encouraging children to visit parks and playgrounds at least once a week could be a practical way to support their emotional wellbeing, social skills and mental health. But for this to work fairly, communities need good-quality parks that are safe, accessible and welcoming to families from all backgrounds.
“Parks give children space to be physically active, which is known to support mental and physical health, as well as helping adventurous and imaginative play to build confidence and independence. We believe parks could be more than places to play, but an important resource for children’s healthy development.”
The study included 4,219 participants and focused on social-emotional development – the skills children need to understand and manage their feelings, get along with others, build relationships, behave appropriately, and cope with everyday challenges. Good social-emotional development is an important foundation for good mental health in childhood and later life.
Researchers found children tended to show better social-emotional development during periods when they went to parks more often. They also found children who visited parks more frequently overall tended to have better social-emotional development than those who went less often.
The study also looked at whether park visits and social-emotional development varied by family background. Children from more advantaged families appeared to go to parks more often when they were younger, but as children got older this pattern changed with some children from less advantaged families visiting parks more often.
This matters because parks are often free or low-cost spaces. The study suggests parks and playgrounds could help reduce inequalities in children’s development – but only if good-quality options are available, safe, welcoming and easy for all families to use.
The data comes from a particular long-running UK study, and researchers say more work is needed to understand whether the findings apply to children in other areas with more diverse communities.
The Children of the 90s study, also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), is funded by the UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome and supported by the University of Bristol.
