Official Statistics

The Children’s People and Nature Survey for England: 2021 update

Updated 6 April 2022

Applies to England

1. Summary

The ‘Children’s People and Nature Survey’ provides information on how children and young people experience and think about the natural environment. It is run twice each year, once in term time and once in holiday time. Here we present some key findings from the 2021 school holiday (Wave 1) and term-time (Wave 2) surveys. We will report on two Waves each year alongside previous Waves, to build a picture of any trends over time. More detailed analysis of the data guided by Natural England and Defra’s priority areas is due to be completed following this release.

Responses were collected from 2,048 children and young people aged 8-to-15 between the 11th and 26th August 2021 (during the school holidays) and from 2,051 children and young people between the 21st September and 11th October 2021 (during term-time). Some key headline findings from Waves 1 and 2 are summarised here.

Time spent outdoors

• In the past week, 59% of children and young people said they had spent time outside in their garden (for those that had one) most or every day (7% never did this), and 52% said they had spent time outside in places other than their own garden most or every day (6% never did this).

• Out of a range of outdoor spaces listed, gardens, parks/playing fields/playgrounds and grassy areas in the streets nearby were most often visited by children and young people in the last week.

Time outside at school

• When children are at school, most are spending some time outside. In the past week 88% of children and young people said they had spent time outside at school most or every day (2% said they never did this).

• When asked about how often they had done activities or lessons outside that were not PE, 30% said most or every day (34% said they never did this).

Environmental concern and action

• 80% of children and young people in this survey agreed that looking after the environment was important to them and 83% said they wanted to do more to look after the environment.

• Over half of children reported recycling (71%), turning off taps (63%) and lights (57%) and picking up litter (52%) to look after the environment.

Connection to nature and well-being

• Although responses from children varied, on average children tended to show high connection to and enjoyment of nature. From seven pictures which depicted different levels of closeness to nature, 44% of children and young people chose ones showing high connection to nature to describe themselves. In addition, 85% of children and young people agreed that being in nature made them very happy.

Barriers to spending time outdoors

• Bad weather (53%), lack of interest — including preferring to spend free time indoors (34%) and just ‘not wanting to’ (31%) — and, having nothing fun to do in places nearby (25%) or being too busy with school/homework (20%) were most often noted as stopping children and young people from spending more time outside.

2. Other Pages in this Release

The People and Nature Survey for England (PANS), led by Natural England, is one of the main sources of data and statistics on how people experience and think about the environment. It began collecting data via an online panel (adults aged 16 years and older) in April 2020, and runs continuously, in line with Government Statistical Service guidance on data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PANS includes questions about children in the household, asking adults about their time in and experiences of nature. To build on this and ensure the views of children and young people (CYP) themselves are represented, the ‘Children’s People and Nature Survey’ (C-PANS) was first completed as a pilot between 6th-18th August 2020 with children aged 8-to-15. This first pilot offered valuable insights which contributed to our understanding of experiences of nature during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following this successful pilot, the survey has been adapted for use on an on-going basis, both in school holidays and term-time, to allow attitudes and behaviours to be looked at over time. The Wave 1 release provides a summary of the policy and research context for this survey.

The Official Statistics in this publication summarise C-PANS responses for 2021, including the school holidays/Wave 1 (2,048 CYP, between the 11th and 26st August 2021-previously released here) and the term-time/Wave 2 data (2,051 CYP, between the 21st September and 11th October 2021).

Detailed analysis of the data for specific research questions was not within the scope of this data release. However, Natural England will be using the data going forward to address priority questions, such as those relating to differences between groups in access to and engagement with the outdoors, comparing engagement with nature in term-time and school holidays, and looking at the role of nature in children and young people’s well-being.

Alongside this publication, readers can access:

• The full questionnaire (‘CS_QXX’ below the tables refer to question labels found here).
• The raw data (including instructions for weighting data when using).
• Data tables containing summary statistics, including a comparison of responses to each question based on: age, gender, ethnicity, level of disability, region, and income.
• The technical report for both PANS and C-PANS.
• The PANS mailing list – sign-up via the PANS hub.

3. Official Statistics

Initial releases from PANS and C-PANS (such as the interim monthly indicators and C-PANS pilot) were released as Experimental Statistics. This status highlighted to users at the time that these Official Statistics are in the National Statistics testing phase and that Natural England is still working on further developing the methodologies used in their production whilst ensuring adherence to the Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code).

Releases from PANS and C-PANS that use the specific weighting method (as opposed to the interim weighting method) are designated as Official Statistics. For justifications behind this designation, please see our brief statement and technical report. Natural England have developed the methodologies used in the production of these statistics whilst ensuring adherence to the Code of Practice for Statistics.

4. Time Spent Outdoors

In Waves 1 and 2 of the survey, children and young people (CYP) reported on how frequently they had spent time outside in their garden, time outside in places other than their garden (and outside of school), and in Wave 2, their time outside while at school (Figure 1).

In the past week (across Waves 1 and 2), 59% of CYP said they had spent time outside in their garden (2% said they did not have one) most or every day (31% once or twice, and 7% never), and 52% said they had spent time outside in places other than their own garden most or every day (41% once or twice, and 6% never).

When at school, most CYP are spending some time outside, whether at break, lunch or as part of lessons. During term-time, in the past week 88% of CYP said they had spent time outside at school most or every day (10% once or twice, and 2% never). When asked about how often they had done activities or lessons outside that were not PE, 30% said most or every day (33% once or twice, and 34% never).

CYP also reported on which kind of green and natural places they had visited in the last week (Figure 2).

Figure 1: How often CYP said they spent time outside in the past week: 1) in the garden (for those that had one), 2) in places other than their own garden, 3) at school, and 4) during school activities/lessons (weighted percentage).

Figure notes:
Base: School holiday and term-time data combined [sample = 4099] for questions [CS_Q6A] and [CS_Q6B]; Term-time data used only [sample = 2051] for questions [CS_Q5A] and [CS_Q5B].
Source: [CS_Q6A], [CS_Q6B], [CS_Q5A] and [CS_Q5B].
Note: 2% of children reported that they did not have a garden and so are not shown in [CS_Q6A].

Figure 2: Green and natural places CYP said they had visited in the last week (weighted percentage).

Figure notes:
Base: School holiday and term-time data combined [sample = 4099].
Source: [CS_Q3].

Other related questions you may be interested in:

• Access to garden/outdoor space.
• Time spent in gardens.
• Perceived access to wider green and natural spaces.
• Time spent noticing nature.
• See the questionnaire and summary tables for more information.

5. Environmental Concern and Action

Across Waves 1 and 2, 80% of children and young people (CYP) in this survey agreed that looking after the environment was important to them and 83% said they wanted to do more to look after the environment. CYP said that they undertook a range of actions to look after the environment, summarised in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Proportion of CYP reporting different behaviours and social actions to look after the environment (weighted percentage).

Figure notes:
Base: School holiday and term-time data combined [sample = 4099].
Source: [CS_Q10] (also in text, [CS_Q9] and [CS_Q12c]).

Other related questions you may be interested in:

• Whether CYP think adults are doing enough to look after the environment.
• Whether CYP know what they can do to look after the environment.
• See the questionnaire and summary tables for more information.

6. Connection to Nature

Connection to nature has been described as an individual’s subjective sense of their relationship with the natural world, and among children and young people (CYP) this may be reflected in how they think and feel about nature (e.g. whether they see nature and humanity as one), and how they experience it (e.g. to what extent they enjoy spending time in nature and benefit from it).

In Waves 1 and 2, CYP were also shown a range of images taken from the illustrated ‘Inclusion of Nature in Self Scale’. Seven diagrams were shown to CYP (Figure 4), each containing two circles, one with the outline of a person and saying ‘me’ and the other with a nature-filled scene. In each diagram, the closeness of the two circles increased, until they fully overlapped. CYP were asked to choose the diagram which best showed how connected they felt to nature.

Using this method, 44% of CYP felt highly connected (diagrams E to G), 26% felt moderately connected (diagram D), and 31% felt low levels of connection to nature (diagrams A to C) (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Percentage of CYP choosing images from the ‘Inclusion of Nature in Self’ scale indicating how connected they feel to nature, split as low, medium, and high (weighted percentage).

Figure notes:
Base: School holiday and term-time data combined [sample = 4099].
Source: [CS_Q11].

Other related questions you may be interested in:

• Two items from the ‘Nature Connection Index’ which are another way of finding out how connected children feel to nature.
• See the questionnaire and summary tables for more information.

7. Nature and Well-being

A total of 85% of children and young people (CYP) across Waves 1 and 2 agreed that being in nature made them very happy (2% disagreed and 12% neither agreed nor disagreed; Figure 5).

Figure 5: Proportion of CYP agreeing that being in nature makes them very happy (weighted percentage).

Figure notes:
Base: School holiday and term-time data combined [sample = 4099].
Source: [CS_Q12a].
Note: Due to the rounding of percentages to the nearest whole number, the chart does not add up to 100%.

Other related questions you may be interested in:

• Well-being (happiness, anxiety and loneliness were measured using ONS recommended measures).
• CYP favourite places to spend time outdoors.
• What CYP most like about spending time outdoors.
• See the questionnaire and summary tables for more information.

8. Barriers to Spending Time Outdoors

Children and young people (CYP) were asked what stopped them from spending more time outside. The findings are summarised in Figure 6.

Across term-time and holiday time (Waves 1 and 2), bad weather (53%), lack of interest—including preferring to spend free time indoors (34%) and just ‘not wanting to’ (31%)—and, having nothing fun to do in places nearby (25%) or being too busy with school/homework (20%) were most often noted as stopping CYP from spending more time outside.

Figure 6: Things that have stopped CYP from spending more time outside in the last week, split by school holiday time and term-time (weighted percentage).

A	Bad weather	K	Other people there make me feel uncomfortable
B	I prefer to spend free time indoors	L	I was ill
C	I just didn’t want to	M	Cost / too expensive for me or my parents
D	Nothing fun to do in the places nearby	N	Allergies (e.g. hay fever)
E	Too busy doing school / homework	O	I was not able to get to where I wanted to go (no public transport, no-one to give me a lift)
F	I am worried about coronavirus	P	None of the above [EXCLUSIVE]
G	I was not allowed to go out on my own and no-one could go with me	Q	Don’t know [EXCLUSIVE]
H	I needed to stay away from other people because of coronavirus	R	Prefer not to say [EXCLUSIVE]
I	Nowhere good to go nearby	S	Something else…(please write in below)
J	Nowhere safe to go nearby

Figure notes:
Base: School holiday [sample = 2048]; Term-time data [sample = 2051].
Source: [CS_Q8].

Other related questions you may be interested in:

• For each of the questions asked in this survey, the summary tables compare responses based on: age, gender, ethnicity, level of disability, region, and income.
• See the questionnaire and summary tables for more information.

9. Methodological Note

This survey was conducted using an online panel. Consent for participation was obtained from both parent and child. Information about the survey’s methodology can be found on the methodology and technical details page, including links to the Technical Report, full details of weighting procedures, and further information about the strengths and limitations of an online panel survey.

All questions summarised in this report are detailed below:

[CS_Q3] Have you spent time in any of these places in the last week? You can include visits of any length of time (including short trips to the park, dog walking etc.). Please do not include any trips made abroad. You can include visits of any length of time (including short trips to the park, dog walking etc). Please do not include any trips made abroad. Please choose one or more options

Repsonse options:

• Park / playing field / playground
• Grassy areas in the streets near me (e.g., by the roadside, a green or pathway)
• Garden (mine or someone else’s)
• Grassy areas you pay to go to (e.g., gardens of a big house, the zoo, or city farm)
• Beach or seaside
• Woods / forest
• Fields / farmland / countryside
• Rivers / lakes / canals
• Hills/ mountains/ moorland
• Indoors (at home, someone else’s house or other places inside)
• Don’t know [EXCLUSIVE]
• Prefer not to say [EXCLUSIVE]
• Somewhere else outside…(please write in below)

[CS_Q5A] These questions are about what you have done at school in the last week. Thinking about the last week at school, how often have you spent time outside?

[CS_Q5B] These questions are about what you have done at school in the last week. Thinking about the last week at school, how often have you had activities or lessons outside that were not PE? (Do not count: PE lessons, breaks and lunch times, before and after school)

[CS_Q6A] Now thinking about when you were not at school in the last week, how often have you spent any time in your own garden if you have one)? This includes any garden that you share with your neighbours

[CS_Q6B] Now thinking about when you were not at school in the last week, how often have you spent time outside in places that are not your garden?

Response options:

• Every day
• Most days
• Once or twice
• Never
• I don’t have a garden (only show for CS_Q6A)
• Don’t know
• Prefer not to say

[CS_Q8] What things have stopped you from spending more time outside in the last week? Please choose one or more options

Response options:

• I was not allowed to go out on my own and no-one could go with me
• I was not able to get to where I wanted to go (no public transport, no-one to give me a lift)
• I just didn’t want to
• Bad weather
• Too busy doing school / homework
• I was ill
• Cost / too expensive for me or my parents
• Nowhere good to go nearby
• None of the above [EXCLUSIVE]
• Don’t know [EXCLUSIVE]
• Prefer not to say [EXCLUSIVE]

[CS_Q9] How important is looking after the environment to you?

Response options:

• 1 - Not at all important
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5 - Very important
• Don’t know
• Prefer not to say

[CS_Q10] Which of the following things do you do to look after the environment? There are lots of options but they may not all apply to you or all make sense. Only pick the ones you understand and do yourself to look after the environment. Please choose one or more options

Response options:

• Recycle my waste
• Turn the tap off while I brush my teeth
• Turn lights off
• Pick up litter
• Walk, cycle or take public transport as much as I can
• Do things in the garden to help the wildlife (e.g. feed birds, grow plants that insects like, make homes for wildlife)
• Talk to friends and family about looking after the environment
• Read about (online or in books) or watch programmes about the environment
• Eat less meat (including vegetarian or vegan)
• Think about the environment when I buy things
• Volunteer my time (e.g. litter pick, planting, raising awareness)
• Raise awareness by posting/sharing information online
• Try and change what our leaders are doing (e.g. sign petitions, demonstrate, or write to them)
• None of the above [EXCLUSIVE]
• Don’t know [EXCLUSIVE]
• Prefer not to say [EXCLUSIVE]
• Something else …(please write in below)

[CS_Q11] How connected do you feel to nature? Please choose the picture that best describes your relationship to nature. [Response options: image A, B, C, D, E, F, or G]

[CS_Q12a] How much do you agree or disagree with the following - Being in nature makes me very happy. Please select one answer only

[CS_Q12c] How much do you agree or disagree with the following - I would like to do more to look after the environment

Response options:

• Completely agree
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
• Completely disagree
• Don’t know
• Prefer not to say

10. Glossary

Green and natural spaces are defined in this survey as green and blue spaces in towns and cities (e.g. parks, canals); the countryside (e.g. farmland, woodland, hills and rivers); the coast (e.g. beaches, cliffs) and activities in the open sea; visits of any duration (including short trips to the park, dog walking etc.). They do not include: gardens; outside spaces visited as part of someone’s employment; spaces outside the UK. Additional questions are asked about private gardens.

11. Contact

Natural England welcomes feedback on C-PANS. Please contact the team by email: people_and_nature@naturalengland.org.uk

If you would like to receive further information on the survey, including data releases, publications and survey changes, then visit our User Hub and sign-up to the mailing list at the bottom of the page (best viewed in Google Chrome). After signing up, if you do not receive a confirmation email please check your ‘Junk’ or ‘Spam’ folder.

12. Pre-release Access

Pre-release access was not sought for this release.

13. Related Links

People and Nature Survey information: Further information on the People and Nature Survey for England.

Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment: Further information on the Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) Survey (predecessor to the People and Nature Survey).