Why kids need more physical play and not endless screen time

Enjoying the playground. Image by Tim Sandle.

When Barry Leahey MBE attended the House of Commons in June of this year, it was to support and address the Raising the Nation Play Commission report, Everything to Play For. Leahey saw this as a shocking call to arms to rally behind the nation’s child health, highlighting the extent of the challenge we face in reforming play in the UK.

The report included many recommendations that Leahey tells Digital Journal that he backed wholeheartedly, including a national play strategy, child-friendly neighbourhoods, encouragement for schools to harness the power of play and more. Leahey is a children’s play expert and the President of Playdale Playgrounds.

There are two recommendations that Leahey feels are especially pressing:

1. “Stricter guidelines for the development of digital games and toys. Health warnings on products and applications which are addictive by design.”
2. “A national digital detox campaign to raise awareness of the adverse effects of excessive use of digital devices and the positive benefits of playing offline.”

Since the report, Leahey says “there has been little in the way of a ‘digital detox campaign’ – with ministers not yet leading the charge when it comes to promoting traditional play over doomscrolling, app-store shovelware or screen addiction.”

He also warns: “Despite this, the crisis of digital addiction is still a very real threat to our children, and where others may be slow to address, it seems Hollywood may be picking up the slack.”

Toy Story 5: The set-up

Set to release June 19^th 2026, Toy Story 5’s first teaser trailer was uploaded to YouTube on November 12^th. What begins as a typical scene slowly turns to one of horror for Woody, Buzz and co. – with terror written on their faces – followed by a simple warning “The Age of Toys is Over”. What follows? The reveal of the film’s main villain: a digital tablet gifted to Bonnie, Toy Story 5’s child protagonist.

Leahey sees this as “a comedic sideswipe at our increasing tech-dependence, but the frightful build-up isn’t unwarranted. Excessive screentime and tech increasingly replacing traditional play is a serious issue, and it’s about time the problem was communicated en-masse.”

Is screen time really the villain?

Offering some social commentary, Leahey notes: “It’s safe to say that screens aren’t inherently evil – nor should children be completely sheltered from screens in a world that’s dependent on them for work and leisure. I’m writing this on a computer, and I watched the trailer on a tablet of my own. The difference? I’m a fully grown man, and I was fortunate enough to experience the health, social and emotional benefits of physical play as a young child.”

Studies have shown that half of children are now showing signs of phone addiction, and even more shockingly, the average 12-year-old now spends 29 hours per week on a smart device.

Additionally, tech-savvy children can find it easy to go beyond games on smart devices. App stores include easily accessible social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and X, that can amplify hateful content and lead to common problems like cyberbullying, which one in five children currently experience.

Why is physical play preferable?

Leahey makes the case for physical activity during a child’s early years. He recommends: “Childhood development in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is dependent on giving children access to outdoor playground equipment and spaces to play in. This is because play bolsters social skills, children’s creativity, both gross and fine motor skills and more.”

Turning his attention on the digital, Leahey finds: “Screens can’t satisfy the needs of children. Children are natural risk takers, craving social interaction and adrenaline. Play equipment such as seesaws promote cooperation to achieve the shared goal of excitement and fun, whereas playground spinners, for example, cause vestibular stimulation, the process by which signals are sent to the brain to promote emotional regulation and calm.”

His advice is: “Physical play is crucial in KS1 and KS2 children, with play offering mental and physical benefits that a screen could never satisfy. Children who regularly play offline, in particular between children and their parents or guardians, are less likely to develop anxiety, depression, aggression and sleep problems – as well as other benefits, including stress reduction.”

Leahey sums up with: “So, will screen time win when Toy Story 5 hits the silver screen next year? I very much doubt it. But regardless of the film’s conclusion, don’t let its warning fall on deaf ears in the real world. For the sake of our children, we must work together to make sure the age of play is never over.”