Let's bring nature back for our children

Wondering about the current state of children's outdoor activities in Switzerland? How much time are they spending outdoors, and what's the impact? In November and December 2023, we conducted a study involving over 1000 parents in Switzerland. Here's what we discovered:

• Children in Switzerland spend approximately 1.5 hours outdoors in the fresh air.
• Gender differences in outdoor time between girls and boys are minimal.
• In the German-speaking and French-speaking regions of Switzerland, children spend roughly the same amount of time outdoors, while in Ticino, children spend slightly longer outdoors.
• Two-thirds of surveyed parents report having spent more time outdoors as children compared to their own children today.
• Parents highlight that outdoor time enhances children's connection to nature (88%), boosts resilience (86%), improves sleep (85%), reduces screen time, and heightens overall satisfaction (both 84%).
• The most significant influencing factors for children spending substantial time outdoors are the influence and role-modeling of parents, along with the child's circle of friends.

The study results indicate that Swiss children today spend less time outdoors than their parents did. Despite recognizing and acknowledging the positive effects of time in nature, there seems to be an issue with implementation. Generation Alpha demands: Give us back nature. Will you help?"

Discover numerous outdoor activity ideas with your children on our blog and social media. Additionally, we've curated a brief list of recommended readings for you.