Submission + - Unsupervised Children Are More Sociable and Active
Ponca City, We Love You writes: "Youngsters who are allowed to leave the house without an adult are more active and enjoy a richer social life than those who are constantly supervised, according to a study conducted at University College London. "We asked children whether they were allowed out without an adult and then looked at where they go and how they behave. In general, children who aren't constantly supervised tend to leave the house more often — exploring their surroundings, playing with other children and using up more calories than their sedentary, house-bound peers," said Professor Roger Mackett. The children completed questionnaires, kept travel diaries, had their movements logged using GPS monitors and wore portable motion sensors to produce activity maps showing animated GPS traces that are linked up with physical activity level information measuring children's speed of travel, changes in direction and the number of 'activity calories' they consumed. "Fears over road safety and 'stranger danger' need to be balanced against soaring levels of childhood obesity and poor health. Letting a child out to play is one of the best things a parent can do for their child's physical health and personal development.""