Only one in five teens can tie a reef knot: Survey

The YouGov poll, commissioned by UK's Scout Association, found that only one in five children knows simple tasks like how to tie a reef knot, read a map or mend a bicycle puncture.

They are the practical skills that were once ingrained in every child by the time they reached their early teens, but these are dying out among children, according to the survey.
While only one in five of youngsters said they could tie the knot, the same proportion said they were unable to repair a flat tyre on a cycle.

Even fewer (17 per cent) said they would be able to identify a star constellation using a telescope, while almost a quarter said they would not be able to make and fly a kite.

The poll also found that even simple tasks like putting up a tent or cooking a meal could be achieved by only around half of youths, while 38 per cent don't know basic first aid.

However, their parents, when asked the same questions were more sceptical. Only around one in ten said their child actually had these skills.

Nearly four fifths of adults who took part in the survey said children lacked the practical skills that they had at the same age, with 58 per cent saying their children spend most of their free time indoors.

Although children's practical skills were lacking, the study found that they were far more confident about carrying out tasks on computers.

About 84 per cent said they can send an email, while 60 per cent said they know browsing the Internet on mobile phones, 59 per cent had knowledge of downloading music, 56 per cent knew how to update their status on social network sites.