One third of parents think playing with their kids is boring: UK study

London, Aug 28 (ANI): Keeping kids entertained isn't exactly child's play.nd a new UK research seems to have proved it by showing that a third of parents think spending time with their little ones is boring.

One in three parents play computer games with their children instead of the more traditional ball games in the garden or visit to a playground.

Yet nine out of ten children said electronic games were something they would rather play on their own.

And three quarters of the children surveyed said they would prefer to spend time with their parents actually interacting with them in some way challenging each other, for example, at board games.

Professor Tanya Byron, a child psychologist, interviewed 2,000 parents and 2,000 children aged five to 15 to examine the play habits of the nation for her 'State of Play, Back to Basics' report.

It revealed that in today's time-starved society one in five parents forget to play with their children as they are too busy or can't think of anything to do.

30 per cent of parents admitted that they think playing with their children is boring, and over one in ten children (16 per cent) picked up that they feel this way.

"There are four key ingredients to a successful playtime between parents and children namely: education, inspiration, integration and communication," the Daily Mail quoted Professor Byron as saying.

"Parents need to take a step back and think back to how their own childhood games used these four pillars and how they can implement them now. The key thing is to have an open and honest dialogue between parents and children and to embrace play environments which provide a great training ground for parents to practice the art of imaginative play by using objects and experiences that are recognisable whatever your age.

"Cross generational enjoyment, where no family member feels inhibited, under pressure, bored or stressed are key to making these four pillars become part of everyday play," Byron added.

The report was commissioned by Disneyland Paris, which has just opened a new Toy Story themed 'Playland'. (ANI)