Primary school pupils say nature makes them happy

Money can’t buy children happiness, but the natural world can ...

12.05.2011

Flowers, rainbows and enjoying the sunshine are the things that really make children happy, according to new findings released today from laptop charging and security specialist LapSafe® Products.

More than a third of primary school and special educational needs (SEN) children (33.5 per cent) say that nature and the natural world makes them happy, with less than one per cent claiming that money is the key to their happiness. Being with friends and family puts a smile on the faces of 21 per cent of children, with sport (11 per cent), going on holiday (7 per cent) and playing with toys (4.74 per cent) also featuring in the top five things that make children joyful. The figures reveal the views of 3,943 children who drew what makes them happy to enter the nationwide Happy Art Competition, run by LapSafe® Products, which specialises in the education sector.

Surprisingly, only 4.11 per cent of youngsters express that watching TV and films makes them happy, and even fewer rate playing computer games (2.38 per cent). ‘MTV culture’ and WAG mania also seem to have left children unfazed, with only 1.46 per cent of children claiming that music makes them happy, and less than one per cent choosing to draw fashion or going shopping.

Although the data indicates that children across the UK share similar values when it comes to qualifying happiness, a higher percentage of Scottish nippers claim that sport (21.49%), rather than nature (20.66%), puts them in high spirits. Family and friends get the largest vote from children in the West Midlands (33.33%) and North West (27.45%), with youngsters in the capital the only group to convey that religion makes them happy. What is more, not even one child from the North West, Scotland, Yorkshire and Humber, the South East and the East Midlands mention money as something that makes them joyful.

Denise Cole, director at LapSafe® Products, thinks that the findings are interesting for educational professionals. She said: “At a time when education budgets are becoming increasingly tightened, it is good news that primary and SEN schools do not need to spend lots of cash to improve pupil wellbeing. Using technology in class is obviously important to teach children skills for the future and make learning more interactive, but the drawings we have received in our competition still highlight the value of the natural world, family and friendship to children across the UK.”

The findings coincide with the announcement that ten year old Verity Walker, from St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Romford, is the winner of the nationwide Happy Art Competition for her detailed drawing of a diverse and happy planet Earth, uniting different nationalities and abilities. The artistic youngster has won a brand new ClassBuddy™ laptop charging trolley for her school, complete with five netbooks for her classroom and her artwork transferred onto its doors. Verity has also bagged herself a netbook to take home.

The competition was open to primary school and SEN pupils across the UK to celebrate the launch of the ClassBuddy™ storage and charging trolley, a safe, secure and cost-effective solution to manage mobile ICT in schools. The ClassBuddy™ trolley is part of a new range of laptop storage and charging cabinets that enable LapSafe® Products to provide a mobile ICT management solution to meet every need and budget.

Table of findings:

Category %

Nature and the natural world 33.52%

Family and friends 20.90%

Sport 10.96%

Going on holiday 6.97%

Playing with toys 4.74%

Watching TV or films 4.11%

Food 3.01%

Celebrations, including birthdays and parties 2.81%

Computer Games 2.38%

Fairytales 1.93%

School and learning 1.78%

Smiling 1.51%

Music 1.46%

Art and performing arts 1.33%

Technology, including mobile phones and computers 0.95%

Reading and writing 0.53%

Shopping and fashion 0.45%

Religion 0.28%

Money 0.15%

Being charitable 0.15%

Sleeping 0.08%