65 per cent of parents from the South East say their kids are either mischievous often or very often – making the area the highest-ranking region in terms of mischievousness!
This is a statistic to be celebrated, as child psychologist Dr Sam Wass – star of The Secret Life of 4, 5 and 6 year olds – has weighed in with his expertise on why mischief can be a positive learning experience for youngsters.
Despite 55 per cent of parents admitting to being embarrassed by their children’s public displays of mischief before, the same number would also agree mischief can be a positive thing. Over half (55 per cent) believe mischief encourages curiosity and a sense of adventure. Meanwhile, 46 per cent think a streak of naughtiness sparks creativity and problem solving, and a further 45 per cent feel it can help them understand boundaries.
That being said, 52 per cent of parents say they try to prevent mischief amongst their children. Professor Sam Wass says on the contradiction: “The response to this survey shows the conflict parents are experiencing when it comes to mischief. On the one hand, we recognise that mischief-making is a sign of intelligence since it is often driven by curiosity and a desire to learn.
“An increase in mischief-making amongst 3–5-year-olds goes hand-in-hand with children of this age becoming wise to theory of mind – that the thoughts in their heads are not the same as the thoughts in ours – and they are experimenting with the juggling act of pulling the wool over someone’s eyes. But despite this being a sign of healthy curiosity, we don’t want things to get out of control!”
According to the survey, the most common reactions to mischief are laughter (40 per cent) and frustration (26 per cent). For parents looking to encourage mischief in their kids, while putting boundaries in place, Professor Sam suggests the following tips:
- Respond to humour and playfulness with more of the same: “Children aged 3-6 years old often like to play little games. It can feel hard for us “sensible ones” to join in, but clamping down on playfulness and curiosity can send the wrong message. Even if you’re tired, or stressed, it’s always worth trying to see the funny side.”
- Explain consequences:“It’s rare that a child wants to hurt themselves - it’s much more common that they just act without thinking. When they do that, it can help to make them aware of the wider consequences of their actions. But the more gently you do this, and the more understanding you show for what motivated the mischief-making in the first place, the quicker the lesson will sink in.”
- Show your reasoning:“If you’re trying to encourage children to learn and to respect social rules, then it helps to show reasoning. For every rule that you have, you should be able to explain why it is in place: it’s about logic, understanding and intelligence - not force of will.”
Petits Filous’ research coincides with the launch of a nationwide competition alongside TV personality Adam Thomas, to find the UK’s biggest mischief makers.
The star of the winning ‘mugshot’ will win a £1,000 holiday voucher to enjoy with their family. As a dad to Teddy (11) and Elsie (6) - and one-third of the notoriously cheeky Thomas brothers - Adam knows a thing or two about getting up to mischief – and believes it is a fundamental part of growing up in the Thomas household.
Nutritionist Carrie Ruxton PhD explains how fortified yoghurt can be the perfect snack to accompany moments of mischief: “Yoghurt is a nutritious and tasty option to fuel children’s creativity. It’s packed with calcium and vitamin D, which are essential for building healthy bones and giving kids the support they need to thrive – whether that’s to help them tumble around in the garden or creating flour clouds in the kitchen! In fact, one serving1 of Petits Filous provides half of the vitamin D recommendation.”
The need for fortified yoghurt in children’s diets has never been stronger, with data from Public Health England showcasing UK children’s deficiency in Vitamin D, despite needing 7x more of it than adults2. Vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb vital calcium and facilitate healthy bone growth in kids. For more information about the nutrition of Petits Filous products – and how they can provide a tasty way of giving these nutrients to kids – please visit: https://www.petitsfilous.co.uk/nutrition/
Parents who think their child has what it takes to be the most mischievous in the UK, can upload a ‘mugshot’ of them caught in the act, and enter the competition at: https://www.promoentries.com/petits-filous-mugshots-2025/ *