PARENTS who were allowed to roam around their own neighbourhoods until the sun went down are raising children who spend most of their days inside under adult supervision.

A massive generational shift is seeing today's children kept safe and clean inside, although their parents explored the outdoors by themselves just a few decades ago.

A survey of 1000 Australian parents with children aged seven to 12 has found fear of strangers and worries about injuries mean they keep their own kids from getting dirty or going out alone.

The survey shows that, compared with their parents' generation, kids today have better outdoor facilities and open spaces - they just aren't allowed to use them as much.

The study, commissioned by power tool company STIHL, and conducted by Empirica Research, shows 90 per cent of parents say they could leave their property unsupervised when they were growing up; now only 33 per cent of kids are allowed to do the same.

And, while parents were allowed to wander 2km-plus from home alone, only 3 per cent of kids these days are given the same freedom.

Similarly, more than 90 per cent of parents played outside until the sun went down at least once a fortnight, yet only 55 per cent of kids today do so.

Even tree climbing is dying out, with 40 per cent of parents having done it a few times a week, but only one in 10 children today doing the same.

On average, today's kids are two years older than their parents before they can perform basic activities unsupervised such as posting a letter, visiting the local shops and taking public transport.

Clinical psychologist Sally-Anne McCormack said children needed to "get outside and get into the sunlight to stimulate the chemicals in their brains".

"Parents are protecting their children too much - yes, for the right reasons - but it means they do not have the opportunity to experience success and responsibility," she said.

Emma King, chief executive of Early Learning Association of Australia, said children needed to take "supported risks and explore the world around them".

"This teaches them valuable lessons that will remain with them throughout their lives, impacting on their future decision-making," she said.

STIHL has developed a primary school program called My Green Wall, which is a vertical garden designed to get kids outside experiencing nature.

FREE-RANGE: The kids are all right

MUM Amy Mochi has many great memories of the freedom that came with growing up in the country.

Now she and husband Andy are trying to give their own children the same experiences.

"We think there's a lot of over-awareness of bad things happening - we tend to trust people instead," she said.

The Mochis are lucky enough to live in a cul-de-sac and their children - Neva, 5, Erich, 6, and Cuora, 8 - have a wonderful time playing freely with their friends.

"Most weekends they spend all day going from house to house and playing in the street," she said.

"It's a wonderful life for them."

COTTON WOOL: 'Stranger danger' is main concern

ANNIE Besnard also grew up in the country, where the rule was that you had to come home "when you were hungry or when it was dark".

The Besnards are now raising three boys - Max, 11, Jack, 9, and Charlie, 7 - in Carnegie, but fear of stranger danger makes Annie cautious.

"I am not concerned about them crossing roads, more about them being approached by a stranger," she said.

"It's a general feeling about the world - you do hear stories about kids being taken."

But with Max growing older, Ms Besnard is aware he needs more independence.

In the meantime, though, she says her three boys "are happy being driven around and looked after".