One in four city kids have never seen a deer or bird of prey, survey finds

The poll of 1,000 city-based parents and their children aged six to 12 also found 21% of youngsters haven't attempted to climb a tree, while 35% have never slept in a tent. Others haven't been camping (32%), eaten a meal that was cooked on a camp stove (39%), or gone crabbing in rockpools (41%). And 39% of city children visit the countryside a maximum of just three times a year.

The research, commissioned by The Camping and Caravanning Club, comes as its new Club president, Hamza Yassin, celebrates National Camping and Caravanning Week by launching a new initiative to provide people with essential wildlife and camping experiences.

Hamza, who took more than 40 first-time campers to the countryside to teach them all about British wildlife, said: “I love going camping, connecting with nature and experiencing wildlife."

"It’s something I believe all children should have the opportunity to do – because let’s face it – they are the future when it comes to protecting our natural world."

"It was great to be able to introduce families to the joy of camping and show how it really puts you on nature’s doorstep – giving them the chance to learn about the incredible outdoors and all the benefits it can bring.”

The study also found 63% of parents whose child has visited a rural area believe their youngster would like to experience it more. With 46% saying their kids often express an interest in visiting the countryside.

Of those who don’t visit rural areas as much as they would like to, 54% cited ‘lack of time’ as the biggest reason for this. While 36% find distance the biggest barrier, according to the OnePoll.com data.

Despite this, 55% of all parents claim their child prefers being outdoors rather than indoors – and 31% believe them to be very interested in nature and wildlife.

Sabina Voysey, director general of The Camping and Caravanning Club, which is launching a competition to win camping experiences and equipment, said: “Spending time in the outdoors through camping can be an amazing experience for children, giving them a sense of wonder and freedom. 

“It’s a great way to connect with nature, see wildlife up close and learn skills such as map reading, cooking and pitching a tent. It’s beneficial in so many ways. The research shows that unfortunately not all children have easy access to the wonderful outdoors for various reasons, which is something we wanted to change through our work with our new president, Hamza.”

The research also found 88% of parents believe it is important for their son or daughter to experience the great outdoors, with 87% wishing they had more outdoor learning opportunities at school.

But 54% of those who believe their child doesn’t spend enough time outside often worry they could be missing out on key childhood experiences as a result. And 52% of parents claimed they spent more time outside than their children do now, with 63% concerned about the availability of green space.

Hamza added: “Learning in the outdoors not only teaches children to protect and respect the natural world, it supports all of their learning needs, especially for those who have learning difficulties, like I have with my dyslexia.

“It gives children the freedom to explore, enhancing their creativity, imagination, and fostering a sense of adventure. Camping and sleeping in the outdoors is one of the best ways to experience this, as it puts nature front of mind. This is why, in my new role I want to make camping accessible for as many people as possible.”