Being carefree and no life admin are top things adults miss most about childhood

06 April 2023 , 11:43

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Over half of adults feel they have lost their sense of fun as they have got older (Image: SWNS)

School holidays, having no life admin, and waking up without a care in the world, are among the top things that adults miss the most about their childhood, a study has found.

Other nostalgic things about being young include being cooked for, being looked after when they were unwell, and spending a lot of time outdoors, such as playing in the park.

Others miss waking up feel excited, such as on the morning of their birthday – with the poll of 2,000 adults revealing that the top moods they recall feeling at the start of the day were happy (35%), optimistic (21%), and playful (22%).

In contrast, one in four say they now wake up feeling stressed (24%) or anxious (21%), while 42% wake up feeling tired.

And over half of those polled (56%) feel they have lost their sense of fun with age – and said that 27 was the average age at which this happened.

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The research was commissioned by Tropicana, which is calling for adults to reclaim a childlike positivity at the start of each day – by building a giant bed, and placing it on the main concourse of King’s Cross station for adults to use as a trampoline.

They miss waking up feeling happy and optimistic, without a care in the world (SWNS)

Caroline Wilding, spokeswoman for Tropicana Brands Group, said: “With so many adults across the country missing some of the fun they had as a child, such as being outdoors or singing out loud, we’re calling for the nation to embrace that nostalgic positivity and “Be More Kid”.

“We want to remind people to bring a sense of that childlike fun and sunshine to the day. The way we start each day, from what we have for breakfast to how we get to work, has a huge impact on setting the tone for the day ahead.”

The research went on to find that more than a quarter (26%) wish they hadn’t taken childhood for granted when they were young, with the most fun age revealed as nine years old.

It emerged that adults now wake up with four things on their mind – including the weather, tasks at work for the day ahead, money, and bills.

But half of those polled agreed grown-ups need to be more carefree and take a leaf out of children’s books, while 27% envy others who have fun without caring what people think.

Among the things adults think they could learn from youngsters were making more time for fun (45%), seeing the best in people (40%), and starting the day with positivity (38%).

Of those polled, 56% have partaken in a childlike activity since being an adult – including having a daytime nap (41%), playing on arcade machines (38%), and colouring in (33%).

Such pastimes made them feel happy (56%) and carefree (44%), according to the OnePoll.com data.

Caroline Wilding added: “For almost a third of adults, their mood is impacted by how they start the day.

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“It just goes to show how important it is to start the morning positively – a glass-half-full attitude, if you will.

“It was enlightening to learn that over half said doing a childlike activity made them feel happy.

“So, to spark inspiration, and to give people an excuse to carve out time for positivity, we have installed a giant bed into King’s Cross, so that commuters and passers-by can tap into their inner positivity and make their day more joyous.

“We hope those that get involved can forget about work commitments, or daily stresses, and jump on a giant bed, turning their regular morning routine into an opportunity for fun.”

TOP 40 THINGS ADULTS MISS ABOUT BEING A CHILD:

1. School holidays
2. Waking up without a care in the world e.g. no worries about the day ahead
3. No life admin
4. Being cooked for
5. Being looked after when unwell
6. Waking up on birthday mornings feeling excited
7. Spending a lot of time outdoors
8. Playing in the park
9. Getting pocket money
10. Seeing friends every day at school
11. Falling to sleep quickly and easily
12. Washing being done
13. Watching kid's TV shows
14. Not knowing the concept of money
15. The newness of everything e.g. flying for the first time, going to the cinema for the first time
16. Waking up feeling excited
17. Having friends over after school/going to friend's houses
18. Feeling like you could be anything you wanted when you grew up
19. Not having to do food shopping
20. Watching TV after getting home from school
21. Climbing trees
22. Being bought sweets and chocolate
23. Having toys bought for you
24. Drawing/colouring in
25. Knocking on neighbours' doors to go out and play
26. Playing hide and seek
27. Not worrying about getting dirty when outside
28. Going to fairgrounds/on rides
29. Going on arcade machines
30. Being read to
31. Having packed lunch made
32. Waking up with a positive attitude
33. Getting carried when too tired to walk
34. Singing without caring how it sounded
35. Jumping in puddles
36. Walking, cycling, or scooting to school
37. Getting certificates, gold stars, etc.
38. Having sleepovers
39. Napping in the day
40. After-school clubs/hobbies

Andrew Young