Phones aren’t stealing childhoods. But maybe parents are.
You’ve definitely heard something to the effect of: “Kids are glued to their screens — that’s why they don’t go outside.”
Jonathan Haidt & team say we’ve got it backwards:
It’s not phones → no outdoor play… It’s no outdoor play → phones.
A Harris Poll of 500 kids (ages 8–12) revealed:
- 45% want unsupervised, in-person free play
- Only 30% want structured activities
- Just 25% would choose going online
But here’s the kicker:
↳ Over 1 in 4 kids aren’t allowed to play unsupervised — even in their own front yard!
In real life: kids are fenced in. In a phone: kids are free to roam.
More outdoor free play isn’t the solution to everything… but locking the front door definitely isn’t helping. 🌱
Full read in The Atlantic.
Written August 9, 2025.