Dirt Is Good teams up with Arsenal Women to get girls playing outside again
- New research shows girls in the UK are disengaging from outdoor play by the age of eight. As a result, they are missing out on the confidence and joy that comes from unstructured play.
- Nearly six in ten UK parents (58%) played outside regularly as children. In contrast, just one in three girls today (33%) do so.
- In response, Dirt Is Good has partnered with Arsenal Women to encourage girls to rediscover free, unstructured outdoor play
- Dirt Is Good share never-before-seen photos of Arsenal Women players as children playing outside. This shows that a love of movement often starts long before organised sport.
Girls in the UK are beginning to disengage from outdoor play from as young as the age of eight, according to new research. As a result, many miss out on the joy, freedom and confidence that comes from getting outside, getting dirty and playing freely.
New findings commissioned by Dirt Is Good reveal that nearly six in ten UK parents (58%) played freely outside regularly (more than three days a week) as children. In contrast, just one in three girls today (33%) do so.
On average, UK parents say their daughter began losing interest in regularly playing freely outdoors at just eight years old. Nearly one in five disengage between the ages of seven and eight. In addition, one in ten girls never regularly play outside at all.
Sport England has also identified a gender gap in outdoor activity. Girls are 22% less likely than boys to be active outdoors outside of school2. This gap begins in primary school and persists across regions.
In response, Dirt Is Good has partnered with Arsenal Women’s Football Club on ‘It Starts Outside’, a campaign built around never-before-seen, nostalgic childhood photos of the squad. The aim is to spotlight how early outdoor play shapes not just future athletes, but confident, inspired young women who learnt through play.
Parents want their daughters to experience those same benefits. More than half of parents (54%) say their daughter would rather be inside than outside, even when given the opportunity to play outdoors. Additionally, 58% worry about a potential growing gender gap in children’s outdoor play which could impact how boys and girls engage, experience and benefit from confidently playing outdoors. More than one in five girls also say they avoid outdoor play because they don’t like getting dirty, compared with 14% of boys. This highlights how negative misconceptions towards playing outside can form early and cause them to disengage.
Arsenal Women players including Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead are reflecting on their own childhoods as part of the campaign. They are sharing nostalgic memories of playing freely outside long before organised training or competition. Their stories highlight that a love of sport often begins away from the pitch. In fact, it starts through everyday outdoor play that allows children to move freely, experiment and have fun.
Billie Graham, Women and Girls Football Development Coordinator at Arsenal in the Community, said: “We’re passionate about creating opportunities and access into football for women and young girls through safe spaces and fun environments for them to thrive. So many journeys begin with the hours spent getting out and playing freely, inspired by role models like Alessia, Chloe, Beth or any one of our women’s players. We hope to continue breaking down barriers for young girls stepping into the game for the first time.”
Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal Football Club, said: “Our partnership with Dirt is Good is rooted in championing women’s football through our shared purpose and the power of our platforms. Since first partnering in 2023, we’ve created meaningful impact and this campaign is another step we are taking to challenge stigma and inspire young women to get into and stay in sport.”
As part of the partnership, Dirt Is Good and Arsenal Women are engaging directly with young girls to inspire them to play freely outside. This includes working with primary schools to share practical tips with parents. Moreover, they are inviting them to witness the campaign role models in person at the Emirates during Arsenal Women games, and creating opportunities for girls to experience the joy of play.
Dirt Is Good Masterbrand Director, Saffron Inkster said: “This research highlights the growing gap between the outdoor childhoods many parents remember and the reality for too many girls today. Free, unstructured play outside builds confidence, curiosity and resilience – yet girls are stepping away from it far too early. Through It Starts Outside, we want to challenge that shift and remind families that getting outside, getting messy and getting dirty can be the beginning of a lifetime of confidence and self‑belief.”
