Parents have the most fun with their children when they are five according to a new study of 2000 parents with children under 13, asked them to rate how much fun they have-or had- with their children throughout the different ages. The study revealed that five is the optimum age for enjoying our children’s company with 39 per cent of parents claiming it to be the most fun age for both boys and girls.

The study, commissioned by Soreen to launch Active Families, Happy Families2; a new partnership campaign with independent charity Youth Sport Trust also found that pre-teen years (10-12) were less enjoyable for parents.

The majority of reasons given for parents enjoying time with their five year olds were to do with developments by that age.

Around 38 percent of parents believed five to be the most fun age because their child had ‘started communicating with them properly’. A further 33 per cent said their child ‘started to display a good sense of humour and a 23 percent said it was because they ‘can now properly enjoy playing sports and activities’.

The survey revealed that although 86 percent of parents feel that being active brings them closer together as a family, parents are only managing to spend 3.5 hours a week doing activities with their children.

Alex Danson, EuroHockey Championship Gold medal and Olympic Bronze medal winning England Hockey player is supporting the campaign, which aims to inspire thousands of families to spend more time being active and having fun together, whilst also promoting the links between activity and health.

Phil Chamberlain, Director Policy & Communications for the Youth Sport Trust said; “We know that active children learn better and faster, and have an improved sense of belonging – the link between being active and good physical and emotional health is widely acknowledged.

“There is no question that regular activity produces healthy, happy, academically successful and socially adept young people, with confidence and high self-esteem. As a parent of two young children myself, I take every opportunity I can to be active with my family as I know it will help them create good habits for life.”

According to a report recently published by the Youth Sport Trust entitled ‘Class of 2035’ the number one reason for the popularity of sport and physical activity given by young people is that it’s ‘fun’. Children who describe themselves as ‘always happy’ are twice as likely to take part in two or more hours of physical activity per day.

Despite this, 40% of young people say they would like to do more exercise and sport than they do currently. 

Beth Brown, Marketing Director at Soreen said:  “We wanted to see at what age we have the most fun with our children as our new campaign is about inspiring families to have fun, whatever their age, through active play.

"We’re hoping that the activity packs which families can download for free will help children reach the government guideline of being active for at least 60 minutes each day.

“The packs will provide families with a wide range of ideas for fun, low or no-cost, physical activities they can do together at home or on days out. Activities will be published continually over the next nine months, coinciding with national celebration days and major sporting events such as the Rugby World Cup”

The research revealed that girls tend to have more fun with their mums and boys with their dads and when asked to rate the percentage of parenting that was fun and hard work, the majority said that it was a 50/50 split.