To inform the annual Youth Sport Trust’s PE and School Sport Report and the launch of National School Sports Week, we commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct research into the current attitudes and views of parents of children aged 18 and under within Great Britain on the importance of sport and play. 

Key research findings:

• 91% of parents believe that sport and play are important parts of every young person’s education and development
• Only 32% of parents think that children should be active for 60 minutes or more a day
• 48% are concerned about their child’s mental health
• 70% agree that digital distractions mean their child is spending less time being active
• 50% say challenges associated with the cost of living increases have made it more difficult to be active as a family

All figures, unless otherwise states, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 4,188 adults, of which 1,076 are parents with children under 18. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20th - 24th February 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).