A study from the University of Exeter highlights the need for safer environments and phased freedom for children as they transition to independent outdoor activities to support their wellbeing and confidence.
As thousands of children begin secondary school, researchers at the University of Exeter are urging families and policymakers to think earlier about how children gain independence. Their message is not that freedom automatically improves wellbeing, but that it works best when it is introduced gradually and in environments where children feel safe and supported.
The warning comes from new research by the Outdoor Play Research Centre, which surveyed almost 9,000 children and young people across England. The study found that independence on its own was not a guaranteed route to better wellbeing. Among adolescents, the setting mattered: when young people did not feel safe moving around their neighbourhood, greater independence was linked with lower wellbeing.
The findings sit within a wider shift in childhood. Exeter says the average age at which children begin unsupervised outdoor play is now close to 11, compared with about nine for their parents’ generation. The university has described this as a generational play gap, reflecting a long decline in the freedom children have to walk, explore and travel independently.
Paul McCrorie, deputy director of the centre, said the issue is not whether children should have more freedom, but how that freedom is introduced. He argued that children need chances to build confidence, familiarity and practical skills before adolescence, when independence often expands quickly with the move to secondary school. That approach, he suggested, should be supported by safer streets, clearer crossings and more help for families to let children travel alone step by step.
The centre is calling for action across transport, planning and local communities, including more zebra crossings, better use of crossing patrol staff and support for walking buses. Its recommendations come as the Department for Transport has set out an active travel plan promising £4.5 billion for walking, wheeling and cycling routes, alongside 10,000 safer crossings over the next five years. The broader background also fits with Exeter’s wider research on children’s mental health, which stresses the importance of early experiences, adventurous play and healthy approaches to risk.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
