Parental perspectives on barriers and facilitators of early adolescent outdoor play: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Outdoor play supports physical and psychological health among children and early adolescents (EA; ages 10–14). However, most research to date has focused on younger children (under 10), leaving a gap in understanding the specific barriers and facilitators of outdoor play for EA. Objective: This study investigated parental perspectives on the barriers and facilitators of outdoor neighbourhood play for EA in the UK. Methods: Eleven parents (ages 30–50, 82% women) from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds participated in semi-structured online interviews. A content thematic analysis, guided by the socioecological model, was used to identify key themes. Results: Six key themes were developed: autonomy and independence, social connectedness, the built environment, social development, technology and parental behaviours. While parents recognised the importance of outdoor play for EA, concerns about neighbourhood safety, traffic and inadequate play and recreational facilities were significant barriers. Technology played a dual role: facilitating safety through regular communication but also contributing to sedentary behaviour. Parents also drew attention to lack of community cohesion, which limited their comfort about unsupervised outdoor play. Conclusion: Parents valued outdoor play but imposed restrictions due to safety concerns at a time at which EA should be developing independence and autonomy. Addressing these concerns by improved play and recreational facilities, fostering community trust and utilising safe technological solutions such as GPS trackers and apps providing location sharing could enhance outdoor play opportunities for EA. Future programmes and interventions should be tailored to meet the unique developmental needs of members of this age group.