The poll, published in May 2026 by The Wildlife Trusts and carried out by Savanta⁽¹⁾ , also found this concerning trend reflected by interviewees in Wales, where, whilst 88% had positive memories of spending time outside as a child, over a third (38%) of respondents said they now spend three hours a week or less outdoors. In Wales, 8.6% of people said they now spent an hour or less per week outside.

The survey revealed deep connections between childhood and nature in Wales:

• Over two-thirds (69%) of people spent more than half of their time outside as a child
• 59% of the people questioned said they were more likely to reconnect with nature after thinking about their childhood memories
• 75% of the parents asked to recall their childhood memories said they now wished to encourage their own children to have more natural childhoods

There is already a wealth of evidence to show that spending time in nature boosts happiness, health and wellbeing. The new poll reveals a strong connection between childhood and nature with people recalling happy times spent outdoors and wishing the same for their children. However, the fact that a significant proportion of adults spend a very small amount of time in nature every week is a cause for concern.

The Wildlife Trusts now plan to tap into the power of positive childhood memories to help adults to venture outdoors more. The charities are calling on people to ‘rewild your inner child’ by taking part in the 30 Days Wild challenge in the month of June.

Commenting on the research, Dom Higgins, head of health and education at The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“At face value, it was hard not to be alarmed by the number of people who spend so little time outdoors – but we need to factor in that not everyone has easy access to natural environments.  On the flip side, town parks featured strongly in happy childhood memories and this is incredibly reassuring as our precious urban green spaces can offer both access to nature and a strong sense of community and belonging.”

“Being outdoors in nature has so much joy to offer us all – fresh air, sunlight, birdsong and so many proven health benefits.  And the more time people spend outdoors appreciating nature, the more likely they are to help protect it.”

Chris Baker, Youth and Communities Manager at North Wales Wildlife Trust says:

“It’s easy to become so overwhelmed by the bustle of everyday life that we sometimes forget to appreciate the wonderful world around us. Reconnecting with nature as adults means rediscovering that sense of childhood curiosity and freedom that inspired us to explore. Wales is full of incredible wildlife experiences to discover, sometimes all we need is a little push.

Our 30 Days Wild challenge is a celebration of the nature that’s all around us in our everyday lives that often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. You don’t have to travel to a nature reserve to experience wildlife. Just taking a moment to listen to birdsong, feel the grass between your toes or marvel at the small flower sprouting valiantly from between two paving slabs can do wonders for your health and wellbeing. We’d love you to join in this June and share your wild experiences with us.”

The annual challenge to take time out to notice nature during June happens when wildlife is in peak performance mode. People can ‘re-wild their inner child’ by making use of the free 30 Days Wild guides, wildflower seeds, activity packs and inspiring community events – and reconnect with everyday wildlife found in gardens, local greenspaces and beyond.

30 Days Wild has attracted more than three million participants across the UK and, with thanks to players of the Postcode Lottery, has helped people to enjoy and connect with nature for over a decade.

Take part in this year’s 30 Days Wild challenge here