05/04/2026
This is why I stepped out of the classroom to a woodland. Children need more than knowledge. They need full body and mind challenges! 😍😍
In 1971, around 80% of UK children aged 7-8 walked to school on their own.
Today it’s closer to 9%.
Childhood has quietly changed. Children have less freedom to roam. Less time outdoors. Fewer opportunities to test themselves in the real world.
At the same time, childhood has become increasingly screen-based and sedentary.
Research now shows that 98% of two-year-olds use screens daily, averaging around two hours a day - already double the recommended limit for that age group.
Among older children, screen use can reach tens of hours a week, with some spending the equivalent of a full working week on devices.
In reality, many of the everyday experiences that helped children develop judgement, confidence and resilience have quietly disappeared.
Climbing trees. Exploring local spaces. Figuring things out without adults directing every step.
Risk isn’t the opposite of safety. It’s one of the ways children learn how to keep themselves safe.
When young people have the chance to take manageable risks, they build:
🌿 Problem solving skills
🌿 Emotional regulation
🌿 Confidence in their own judgement
🌿 Resilience when things don’t go perfectly
The goal isn’t reckless freedom.
It’s supported independence - where adults stay nearby, but allow children the space to try, fail, adjust and try again.
Because if children never get the chance to manage risk, they never learn how.
