New TEDx video from SDU professor: Why Don’t Children Play Outside Anymore?

Professor Jasper Schipperijn from the University of Southern Denmark delivered his TEDx talk at TEDxOdense in January 2025. The video is now available to a global audience through TED’s official platforms. The presentation has also been selected as an Editor’s Pick, a distinction awarded to only a limited number of TEDx talks.

The theme of TEDxOdense 2025 was “The Time Is Now” – a reminder that the choices we make today shape the future. In his talk, Jasper addresses a key question concerning children’s well-being and development: why children are spending less and less time playing outdoors.

The International Day of Play is celebrated today to highlight the importance of play for children’s development, well-being, and rights – an agenda that closely aligns with the theme of the presentation.

Research shows that outdoor play has gradually been disappearing. Over the past 20 years, there has been a significant decline, raising important questions about the consequences for children’s health and well-being.

Professor Jasper Schipperijn from the Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics at the University of Southern Denmark, and Head of Centre of the World Playground Research Institute, has dedicated his career to investigating this very development.

In his TEDx talk, he explores the main reasons behind the decline in children’s outdoor play and presents potential solutions, while emphasising one key message: the time to act is now.

A special focus: tweens

A particular focus of Jasper’s presentation is tweens – children aged 9 to 14 who are navigating the transition between childhood and adolescence. Drawing on 20 years of research, he demonstrates why tweens are often overlooked when cities, playgrounds, and outdoor spaces are designed.

“Tweens are often forgotten when we talk about playgrounds and public spaces. People frequently say that ‘they don’t really play anymore’, but our research shows that this is simply not true. When tweens have access to the right environments, they are active and spend time outdoors – even if they would not describe it as play themselves,” says Jasper Schipperijn.

Jasper argues that many modern urban and outdoor environments fail to support play and calls for a collective effort to rethink and create spaces where children and tweens can play, explore, and thrive.

What makes a good outdoor environment for children?

Designing successful playgrounds and outdoor environments begins with listening to children and giving them opportunities to use spaces on their own terms.

In his presentation, Jasper highlights five key characteristics of successful play environments for tweens:

• Variety – one solution does not fit all
• Opportunities for non-competitive play
• Challenges and a degree of risk that create excitement
• Music and sensory experiences
• Places to spend time away from adults and younger children

The time has come to create the spaces that children actually need – not just the spaces adults imagine they need.

Watch the full presentation on TED’s official YouTube channel and gain insights into how we can rethink outdoor environments and play.