Lack of play between parents and children

Parents may not be playing with their children as much as they
think they are, according to a survey.

The survey found that while nearly three quarters of parents
said that they played with their children every day, most children
said that they only played with their parents once a week, rarely
or never.

The children said that they did not play more often because
their parents were too busy, tired or bossy. They also complained
that their parents did not know how to play children’s games
and were less fun than their friends.

The survey found that four out of ten parents would like to
spend an extra hour a day playing with their children. However,
half the children said they would prefer to play more with their
friends, with only six per cent saying they would like to play more
with their dad.

The survey was commissioned by The Children’s Society and
the Children’s Play Council and involved more than 600
parents and 1,200 children.