Weekly visits to parks and playgrounds could be linked to 16% better mental health as children grow up, research has found.

The research, carried out by the University of Exeter, draws on data from the Children of the 90s study, a long-running project that has followed the same children over a number of years to assess how life changes impact their health.

Led by researcher Mark Ferguson of the University of Exeter, the new study found that children who were taken to the park at least once weekly from birth until 11 years of age scored roughly 16.5% higher in their mental health assessments than children who visited the park less than once a week in the same timeframe.

The Exeter study examined the social-emotional development of 4,219 children aged between four and 11, which encompasses the skills needed to regulate feelings, build relationships, behave appropriately, and manage everyday challenges.

According to the findings, children displayed improved social-emotional development in periods that they visited parks more frequently. Those who went to parks more often overall also had better social-emotional development than their counterparts who visited less in general.

Further factors considered by researchers were socioeconomic status and family adversity. The study revealed that while children from more advantaged families visited parks more often in their younger years, the trend shifted when they aged, with some children from less advantaged families going to parks more often.

The study highlighted the significance of this pattern, given that parks are typically free or low-cost spaces. It proposed that parks and playgrounds must be safe, high-quality, accessible and welcoming to all families if they are to help narrow inequalities in children’s development.

Researchers added that additional work is required to understand if the findings are accurate for children in areas with more diverse communities.

Mr Ferguson said: ‘Our research suggests encouraging children to visit parks and playgrounds at least once a week could be a practical way to support their emotional wellbeing, social skills and mental health. But for this to work fairly, communities need good-quality parks that are safe, accessible and welcoming to families from all backgrounds.

‘Parks give children space to be physically active, which is known to support mental and physical health, as well as helping adventurous and imaginative play to build confidence and independence. We believe parks could be more than places to play, but an important resource for children’s healthy development.’