Get kids dirty, says detergent maker

The average child spends just 13 per cent of his or her free time playing outdoors at home, says a survey of parents released yesterday.

The company behind the survey, washing detergent-maker Persil, blamed parents for preventing children getting dirty, and said New Zealand children's learning and development were under threat.

Phoenix Research interviewed 300 parents with a child 10 years old or younger.

Six per cent of respondents said that when their children were home they never played outdoors.

"Instead children are tuning into television and DVDs or videos, with almost 30 per cent of children spending over seven hours per week on these activities," Persil said yesterday.

The survey showed that 15 per cent of children watched more than 10 hours of television, DVDs or videos a week.

Persil claimed parents were reluctant to let their children get dirty, mainly because of safety, but also because they did not want to clean up the mess.

"Almost all those parents polled (90 per cent) said they wanted kids to excel at a range of activities, including school, sport and socially, yet they're reluctant to let their kids get their hands dirty," the company said.

"One in four (23 per cent) youngsters never get the chance to get messed up indoors by cooking or doing craft activities at home."

Television identity Lana Coc Kroft has agreed to be the face of Persil's Dirt Is Good Day on March 19, when public events are planned in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Persil said the aim was to fight "clean kids syndrome" and promote dirt as the original toy.

Children's Health Camps chief executive Fiona Inkpen said yesterday that it should not be news to parents that more children were inactive.

"Physical exercise is really important in terms of children forming healthy, respectful relationships with their peers. Where possible we use outdoor games and exercises in the individual programmes we build for children," she said.

"Unfortunately, instead of playing soccer, football, cricket, riding a bike or other more unorganised activities, today's kids spend a lot of time playing video games and watching TV."

Dr Inkpen said staff at the camps found that when kids went outside and played a game they had the best time.

"The challenge lies in encouraging them to get out there to begin with."

She said if Dirt Is Good Day focused on encouraging parents to make physical activity a family affair, this would be ideal.

"Good food, plenty of water, a good dollop of dirt and a good night's sleep are key ingredients for children to live a happy life."

It is not the first time Persil has campaigned to get people back to the washing machine.

Last year it conducted a survey in Britain that the company said revealed a nation of slobs who thought nothing of going out in dirty clothes and underwear, mainly because they could not be bothered washing them.

- NZPA