Teenagers spending time in winter hibernation during weekends

It’s official! The shorter days make it hard for young people to get outdoors together before darkness falls. New research has revealed nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of young people spend their entire weekends in hibernation mode over the winter months. 

When asked why, the top reasons included poor weather conditions (58 per cent), not having a place to go (25 per cent), or not having any ideas for fun outdoor activities (21 per cent). 

Parents are trying to encourage young people to head outdoors, with nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of young people admitting that their parents have attempted to get them to go on walks or bike rides during winter. Still, they refused the opportunity due to choosing to connect with friends by being online, for example, social media or video games (51 per cent).

Dacia and the Scouts have created ‘Scouts’ Guide to Winter Adventure’ to encourage more outdoor activity in the colder months, which includes tips and top activities to do with friends and family.

Aston spoke to Ayesha Karim, UK youth commisioner at Scouts and child psychologist Professor Sam Wass.