FROM 'BE HOME BEFORE DARK' TO 'JUST ONE MORE EPISODE': THE SUMMER TRADITIONS PARENTS WISH THEIR KIDS STILL HAD
Today’s kids are spending an average of 10+ hours a day inside during the summer holidays, with 78% of parents blaming technology and social media.
From riding bikes and climbing trees to making dens and meeting friends in town, parents say simple summer adventures are disappearing for today’s children.
Utility Warehouse is encouraging families to get together, put down the screens and rediscover the great outdoors with a free Scavenger Hunt.
London, 18th August 2026, UK: Parents across the UK are longing for their kids to experience the summer holidays they remember growing up. New research from Utility Warehouse has revealed that today's children are spending significantly more time indoors, swapping bikes, trees and getting together with friends for screens, streaming and social media - and this time inside means bills are spiking by £175 over the summer holidays.
The study of 2,000 UK parents found that 84% believe their children spend more time inside the house during the summer holidays than they did at the same age, with 87% then saying it causes their bills to spike. On average, parents estimate their children spend more than 10 hours every day indoors during the summer break, with 78% saying the rise of technology and social media is the biggest reason for kids staying inside.
And while today's children may be spending more time indoors, Utility Warehouse, the utilities provider that believes life is better when you get it together, wants to help families recreate some of the magic of summers gone by. By creating a free family-friendly Scavenger Hunt, Utility Warehouse wants to encourage children to swap screens for the outdoors before the holidays come to an end.
Featuring playful prompts, the activity encourages families to spend quality time together and use their imagination in the great outdoors before the summer holidays come to an end.
Because, looking back on their own childhoods, parents say today's children are missing out on many of the simple activities that once made summer holidays so memorable including simply getting outside. The research reveals the childhood experiences parents feel today's children are missing most, including:
Riding their bike (55%)
Climbing trees (46%)
Going into town with friends (45%)
Going to the local swimming pool (37%)
Making dens in the woods (37%)
Making daisy chains (37%)
Going to the beach (34%)
Getting pick'n'mix (28%)
Going blackberry picking (27%)
Wash your neighbours cars for pocket money (25%)
In fact, it's not just how children spend their summers that's changed. More than four in five parents (83%) admit they could never have got away with some of today's school holiday habits, including complaining they're bored (46%), endlessly snacking (40%), watching television all day (32%) and gaming for hours on end (32%) - driving up household bills in the process.
David Walter, Chief Commercial Officer at Utility Warehouse, said: “Summer is all about making memories together. At Utility Warehouse, we reckon life is better when you get it together — whether that's bundling your household bills into one bill or getting outside with the family. We’ve already helped plant over 700,000 trees to keep green spaces thriving for future generations to explore together. We know tech and screens have their perks, but scrolling through feeds just can't match real-life fun in the fresh air”
So, with the summer holidays drawing to a close, Utility Warehouse is encouraging families to get together, get outdoors and rediscover the simple adventures that made childhood summers memorable, because life’s better when you get it together.
You can find out more about Utility Warehouse’s commitment to greener spaces at https://uw.co.uk/.
