Over three quarters of parents surveyed saying their children experience as much wonder on a free walk in the woods as they do on an expensive trip or activity.
With schools breaking up for the summer holidays, new research reveals UK parents could spend an average of £400 per child on sightseeing during the holidays – just trying to keep their kids entertained.
But forget fancy castles and pricey attractions, research shows it’s the extra ordinary things that kids love to look at, with over three quarters (76 per cent) of parents surveyed saying their children experience as much wonder on a free walk in the woods as they do on an expensive trip or activity. But around 1 in 5 children under 10 have a sight condition that could affect their vision, meaning many may be missing this everyday magic altogether.
But when kids have good sight, parents can be tight. Teaming up with wildlife enthusiast and TV presenter, 11-year-old Aneeshwar Kunchala, Specsavers has curated a crowdsourced map from parents of the top free sights around the UK, available on Tightseeing.com.
Featuring a “Quite Tall Pointy Rock” in Bristol, “A Very Mossy Wall” in Yorkshire and “Five Big Ole Logs” in North London, parents can keep their kids entertained and won’t even need to exit through an expensive gift shop.
The survey from Specsavers reveals over two thirds (68 per cent) of parents of children aged four to eight feel pressure to take their kids to see amazing sights during their six weeks off. Three quarters (73 per cent) of those surveyed also foresee this being more expensive this year compared to last, and 60 per cent are expecting to feel financially stretched as a result.
On average parents have wasted £232 on trips out their children didn’t even enjoy, leaving many feeling disappointed (39 per cent) and frustrated (26 per cent) – with over a third (35 per cent) saying it’s made them want to try something different altogether.
Rather than splashing out on pricey sightseeing days out, data shows children find the most wonder in nature (35 per cent), with animals (32 per cent), or anything involving water (25 per cent).
Acting as ‘chief tour guide’ at a Specsavers Tightseeing Kiosk in London, TV adventurer Aneeshwar Kunchala enthusiastically promoted free local sights, while Specsavers optometrists carried out on-site eye screeners.
Aneeshwar Kunchala said: “Nature, it’s my favourite sight. If it’s a tree that looks like a stick man or a stump that looks like a drum set (as I like to call it, a stump-set) or anything in between, children can find wonder in everyday things. That’s why getting their eyes tested is so important. Take them Tightseeing, it’s free and I know kids will enjoy it.”
A free eye test for children isn’t just about protecting their child’s vision and eye health, it could also save them hundreds of pounds a year, by helping kids spot the free everyday wonders around them instead of splashing out on pricey days out. However around one in five (19 per cent) haven’t had an eye test in the recommended two years and one in 10 (12 per cent) have never had one.
Over a quarter of parents surveyed (26 per cent) have put off getting their child’s eyes tested simply because their child hadn’t complained about their vision. Nearly seven in 10 (69 per cent) of parents surveyed said they’d question their child’s eyesight if they stopped pointing out the everyday wonders they usually find fascinating – a telling sign that parents instinctively connect wonder with healthy vision.
Jill Campbell, Optometrist at Specsavers, commented: “We know parents are feeling financially stretched so we want to remind them that children’s eye tests and glasses are free. You’ll be doing the best thing for their vision and eye health by helping them better spot everyday wonders around them, while also saving hundreds of pounds on often expensive sightseeing days out.
“It’s not always easy to spot vision problems in children – a lack of interest in the everyday things they usually find fascinating can be a good clue. That’s why we recommend regular eye tests for children, even if nothing seems wrong.”
Discover the UK’s best free sights at tightseeing.com.
