Kids ‘to spend up to four hours a day online this summer'

North Wales Live

28-07-2025

This summer, children will spend up to four hours a day of unstructured time online, according to new research, a 42% increase compared to term time.
The new report by Vodafone – which surveyed parents of young people between the ages of eight and 17 - showed that staying in touch with friends (40%), fewer scheduled activities (37%) and an increase in long journeys (24%) are some of the reasons why device use naturally rises during the summer break.
While screen time is a helpful way to stay connected and entertained, the rise of unstructured screen time (where children use digital devices without a specific educational or creative goal) means eight in 10 (80%) parents worry about how to keep their families protected over the summer, with 75% concerned over the longer-term impact that screen time could have.
The report, which comes as Vodafone announces major improvements to its digital safety service - Secure Net - later this summer, uncovered that the majority of parents (65%) are concerned about their child's device use specifically during the school holidays.
Many are thinking about how to support their child's wellbeing, with common concerns including screen time potentially affecting their sleep (29%), and mental health (28%) and seeing harmful content (26%). A quarter (25%) also worry their children may become less interested in playing outside.
To help parents navigate this, Vodafone and Digital Awareness UK have teamed up to offer practical advice for parents on how to tackle digital risks facing children this summer, set healthy digital habits, and keep their family safe online.
'We know that the summer holidays can be a challenging time for parents and carers trying to keep their children entertained, and screens often feel like an easy solution to reach for during trips abroad, family outings, and days at home,' Emma Robertson, CEO of Digital Awareness UK, said.
'This can't always be avoided, but without structure, it can lead to greater exposure to online harms, mental health effects and unhealthy tech habits that are difficult to undo.
"This research clearly shows that quality over quantity matters, and setting boundaries with screen time that work for your family is essential. So, the start of the summer is a great opportunity to set expectations with your children and kick-start conversations about how to have a healthy relationship with tech and enjoy using it safely and responsibly."
The study went on to show that half of parents said they would feel more comfortable with device use if they had greater protection across devices at home and while their kids are out and about.
A further 37% say they'd like more convenient tools to help control device usage, and a third (34%) are looking for advice and support to help keep their kids safe over the holidays.
Later this summer, Vodafone will make it even easier for families to stay safe online and set healthy digital habits with a major upgrade to Secure Net - its existing digital security service - by bringing together its current mobile and broadband protection.
It will include features like 'focus time' to limit distractions, the ability to pause the internet and disconnect devices, a bedtime mode, and a customisable content filter, allowing parents to tailor what their children can access online.
Existing Secure Net Home and Mobile customers – including those who join before the new upgrade - will be automatically switched to the new version of Secure Net at no additional cost, retaining the same leading features with the added benefit of use across both Vodafone mobile and WiFi connections seamlessly.
'There's no one size fits all approach to how we build healthy digital habits at home. While many families are already having open conversations about online safety, our research shows a clear desire for more guidance and better tools.
"That's why we're committed to putting the best technology and advice in parents' hands - to help them keep their families safe and confident online,' said Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer at VodafoneThree.
'Unstructured screen time tends to naturally rise during the summer holidays, so we've teamed up with Digital Awareness UK to offer practical, parent-friendly guidance. Combined with our Secure Net service — which offers the most comprehensive parental controls of any major UK network* — families can feel more confident navigating the digital world together and enjoy a safer, more balanced summer break'.