That’s the feedback given to pollsters for Vauxhall, which are launching their newest family friendly model, the Combo Life with its 1355 litres of boot-space. In an age where children spend more time roaming their screens than the outside – over 50 per cent of parents say their children have no outdoor skills, according to Vauxhall.
When asked what skills parents feel the next generation had lost, lighting a fire and map reading were some of the highest-rated outdoor activities that their children didn’t know. While 83 per cent of parents claim they think it’s important to teach their kids these skills, almost half admit they wouldn’t feel confident teaching them the basics including reading a map or identifying a flower.
Showing a bigger reliance on technology in their everyday lives than ever – nearly 60 per cent admit they’d turn to the internet to show them the basics. 32 per cent would even rely on their grandparents to show them what to do.
To inspire families to rediscover these dying skills, the British car manufacturer has teamed up with adventurer and Olympian James Cracknell to encourage parents to get their kids roaming for real to reignite their passion for the outdoors – just in time for the half term. With 60 per cent of parents from the East Midlands and Wales saying putting up a tent is one the highest rated skills they would want to pass on to their children. That’s why Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and rolling Pennines of the Peak District, are perfect places to pitch up – there is an abundance of scenic countryside to pitch camp and enjoy the great outdoors the UK has to offer. | The top ten outdoor skills parents feel are dying out:
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