Kids place sailing, quad biking and archery as top wish list activities they most want to try

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The adventure wish list also includes horse riding, skateboarding, rocking climbing and kayaking. 

Driving a car was the most popular choice among the 900 children aged eight to 16 who were polled, with 23 per cent expressing a desire to give it a go. 

Nearly one in 10 (eight per cent) would like to learn life-saving survival skills, and 11 per cent are daring enough to want to try skydiving.

The joy of trying something new (45 per cent), having something to brag to friends about (25 per cent) and seeing celebrities or influencers take on these challenges (16 per cent) are among the reasons kids want to give them a go. 

But 33 per cent feel they don’t get the opportunity to push themselves as there’s nowhere close by to do them, and 26 per cent let their nerves get the better of them. 

The research, commissioned by PGL, also found 22 per cent are yet to spend a night away from home without their parents, but 68 per cent of the youngsters polled would like to. 

Charlotte Haines for the adventure holiday camps, which also created an online quiz for parents and their children to see just how adventurous they are, said: “It’s great being a kid – there’s so much more opportunity to try new things for the first time and get that rush of excitement from it. 

“It’s clear from the results children want to be thrilled, with driving a car, quad biking and sailing a boat coming out as top activities they’d like to try, alongside other fun things like skiing and surfing. There is also an appetite for raft building and hiking, too.” 

The study also found street dancing, abseiling and fencing are also among the activities kids would like to have a go at. 

As many as three-quarters would like to try new activities, with 84 per cent believing it’s important to learn new things or explore new hobbies.

And having fun (37 per cent) is essential when doing so, along with getting active (11 per cent), learning a new skill (13 per cent) and spending time with friends or family (12 per cent). 

Sailing a boat placed third amongst list of activities kids would like to try | Courtesy Euan Stretch / SWNS

Learn new things and explore new hobbies

The research, conducted via OnePoll, also found 29 per cent of youngsters prefer outdoor activities to inside ones, although 50 per cent are happy either way.

It also emerged 65 per cent will take part in outside challenges every week, with the perfect day consisting of three hours and 22 minutes of adventurous tasks. 

When it comes to the summer holidays, 54 per cent would like to spend more time out in the open than they usually do, with 74 per cent getting bored during the six-week break. 

Instead, 49 per cent end up spending more time on electronic devices during this period, because their parents are working (36 per cent) or there’s nothing else to do (30 per cent). 

Charlotte Haines for PGL added: “It can be such a challenge during the summer holidays to keep kids entertained while you try to work, and it’s never ideal using all your annual leave at this time. 

“It’s important to keep kids active over this time so finding new and fun things to do is a great way to help with this.”

 Top 30 activities kids would like to try

1. Driving a car
2. Quad biking
3. Sailing a boat
4. Scuba diving
5. Skiing
6. Snowboarding
7. Horse riding
8. Skydiving
9. Inflatable aqua assault course
10. Surfing
11. Snorkelling
12. Archery
13. Treasure hunt
14. Zip-lining
15. Wind surfing
16. Rock climbing
17. Stand up paddle boarding
18. Kayaking
19. Street dance
20. Abseiling
21. Learn life-survival skills
22. Body boarding
23. Raft Building
24. Hiking
25. High ropes course
26. Fencing
27. Fishing
28. Skateboarding
29. Bushcraft
30. Bouldering (climbing without ropes)