Let kids have an adventure

More than 90 per cent of under-16s have never slept under the stars or swum in a lake, the poll by TV channel Nickelodeon found.

Teens are far less adventurous than their parents were, choosing a mobile phone over a compass as their essential item to take on a safari trip. So should we be worried? Just how important is mucking about outdoors to raising happy, healthy children?

Here, adventurer Bear Grylls, who is also Chief Scout of the UK Scout Association, explains why he thinks it is vital that youngsters take a walk on the wild side.

GETTING out and really experiencing what the outdoors can offer is one of the best things that any young person can do.

Sometimes it's hard for young people to get the chance to get out and taste the outdoors, and when the wild turns nasty it can be quite an intimidating place to be.

But therein also lies the adventure, and it is adventure that can empower and change young lives.

As a society, we can sometimes get bogged down with "you can't do this, you can't do that".

That's such a shame, as kids lose out on so much of the magic of the outdoors.

I want kids to learn how to survive in the wilds, to know how to start camp fires without matches, to build their own shelters, to climb mountains and plan expeditions. If we don't pass on some of these skills, we are in danger of losing them.

A man or woman empowered to survive in the wild is also empowered to live their life with confidence.

When was the last time you set out with good friends to explore the great outdoors?

I mean really explored, when you set out into the unknown with a map and compass, a rucksack, a tent and sleeping bag - the sort of exploring that makes your heart beat faster.

Can you remember the patter of rain on your tent, the sound of owls or the rustling of the wind in the leaves at night?

It's a feeling of absolute freedom and belonging, re-establishing our relationship with both ourselves and planet earth.

A night in the outdoors is also a reminder that not everything that is precious and valuable costs a lot of money.

One of the reasons I became a scout was to spend more time with friends in the outdoors.

It's among the greatest experiences in life and should be accessible to everyone, no matter where they live or what they look or sound like.

One of my big missions is to encourage not just kids but also adults who have just a little time, enthusiasm and ability - in whatever field - to reach out through volunteering with the Scouts to put something back into their communities. It's about a lot of people doing a little.

I will never forget one of the first things I did in the Scouts was to be given one match and one raw sausage and told to go and cook it.

I remember looking at the match and looking at the sausage and thinking, 'This match is never going to burn for long enough.' Then someone showed me how to make a fire, then cook the sausage. It was a eureka moment.

I look back now and I realise it was those early years that inspired what I love so much about my job now. So many times nowadays it is in the outdoors that I find the peace and the strength to tackle everyday life.

The wilds can be empowering, and when you see young kids grow in confidence after a weekend in the outdoors it is amazing. These kids literally look taller.

Every young person deserves that sort of adventure and I want to encourage young people from every corner of this brilliant country to follow their dreams and live this precious life to the max.