A poll of 1,000 children aged six to 16 found that 42% would introduce longer playtimes, 43% would build more parks and playgrounds, and 37% would make everyone happier by giving them more rest time. More than eight in 10 (83%) think there should be more time for activities like drawing and inventing things, believing it would help make the population happier.
Children's priorities for a better world
Eight in 10 children (83%) said if they were in charge, they would be active and help others more. More than nine in 10 (92%) feel it's important to make sure nobody feels left out, so they would include everyone in games (31%) and sit with those who are lonely (34%).
The study, commissioned by creative play and stationery experts Maped Helix UK, also showed that if children saw someone being picked on, they'd tell a grown-up (46%), help them or stand by them (37%), or ask someone else to lend a hand (10%). When asked what is the nicest thing to do when someone feels upset or lonely, 31% said talk to them, 28% would make them laugh, and 19% would ask them to join in.
Children's views on adults and happiness
Only 14% of the kids polled via OnePoll.com thought grown-ups always listen to children's good ideas, while exactly three-quarters admitted adults did sometimes listen. However, nearly one in 10 (8%) said adults never listened at all.
Playing with friends (66%), doing fun things with family (61%), and getting a fun treat (55%) were the top three things that can make their day really great. Laughter was not far behind, with nearly half (49%) saying this would make their day.
Who can make the world better?
When it comes to who can make the world better, 43% said children would do the best job – although the most popular answer (70%) was 'everyone working together'. The 'people who make the rules' only came in at 34%, hinting kids think they'd do a better job.
Of the 1,000 parents also polled, 85% said their children have a positive view of the world. While 88% agreed kids today care about improving the world, 42% said their child often talks about the positive things they'd do, and 78% reckon their improvements would be better and more imaginative than those of adults.
Parents' perspective
Parents said they think their kids just want to make everyone feel happier (44%). Almost nine in 10 parents (88%) said their child is creative, and 94% said free time is important for their happiness. The top three things they felt would make the biggest difference to their little one's happiness would be less pressure at school (39%), more outdoor time, and more opportunities to get creative.
A spokesperson for Maped Helix said: “Kids have the most fascinating imaginations, filled with care and compassion, but also plenty of honesty. What’s so heart-warming from this research is just how instinctively children want to look after each other – whether that’s helping someone in need, making sure nobody feels left out, or simply putting more time aside for play and creativity. It really shows that, at their core, children aren’t thinking about big, complicated fixes – they just want a kinder, happier world where everyone feels included.”
The spokesperson added: “The findings highlight just how positive and thoughtful children are about the future. It’s a powerful reminder that when children are given the space to share their ideas and get hands on, their creative minds and outlook is not only optimistic, but genuinely inspiring.”
The top 10 things kids would do to make the world a better place are: help people in need more, no homework, take care of the planet, build more parks and playgrounds, longer playtimes, more time to rest, have animals visit school, more time to play sport, sit with people who are lonely, and (jointly) include everyone in games / have days just to do arts and crafts.
