Children prefer playing in gardens to pricey theme park visits

Parents needn't blow a hole in their pockets over expensive theme park visits as children find playing in the garden more enjoyable than such outings, a study has revealed.

Building a den, climbing trees or outdoor games such as 'It' or hide and seek, water fight or play in the park are the sort of thrills that youngsters have been found to enjoy and remember most.

Kids aged five to 11 were asked to rank their favourite holiday activities according to criteria such as how much fun it is, how happy it makes them feel and how special and memorable it is, the Daily Mail reported.

The findings were then cross-referenced with the cost to provide a unique 'pleasure per penny index'.

According to the index compiled by Sainsbury's, the top three activities in terms of pleasure versus cost were playing in the garden or park, water fights or building a den.

Other simple pleasures such as feeding the ducks, berry picking and eating ice-cream also featured in the top ten, while more expensive activities such as trips to the zoo, theme park or other attractions featured much lower down the list and ranked number 20 and 21.

"Summer memories last us a lifetime and parents can learn a lot from what their children have told us in this study," Child psychologist, Dr Linda Papadopoulos, said.

"While they are busy spending money on costly activities to ensure their kids have a good summer, children mostly value the simple pleasures that summer brings, and spending time with friends and family.

"For kids, quantity time with their parents is just as important as quality time," she added.

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Summerlicious!