We can all remember the adventures we had in our youth, building a den in the woods, paddling in the rivers, always home before dark when are tummies rumbled, but letting our children take responsible risks for themselves is becoming impossible. Studies show over the last 30 years we could well be breeding our own cotton wool kids.

Children now believe climbing trees is too dangerous, getting dirty, will get them in trouble, woods are scary and they worry they will be taken by strangers. In the 1970's 80% of primary school children walked themselves home from school, its what you did. Today the figure is under 9%, escorting your child home is now the norm. In 1970 the average nine year old girl would be free to wander 840 metres from her front door. In 1997 it was 280 metres. Now it seems to be as far as the front doorstep.

Children's health is now beginning to suffer because they are losing the chance to play outside, a group of experts warn. Over anxious parents, computer games and school tests are to blame. They advise that the decline in "unstructured, loosely unsupervised" play is adversely affecting our children's mental health. It is hampering their development and breeding phobias.

Getting the right balance has to be the answer and the experts say that play, especially when outdoors is vital to a child's health. Children need the ability to risk assess and become more responsible for their own actions. They say real play with social interaction, loosely supervised, is a crucial element to a child's development, and its loss could have serious implications.