The Xbox generation: Why children are now more likely to be hurt falling out of bed than from a tree

Seven years ago the chances were about equal. But as the lives of "the Xbox generation" have become dominated by sedentary activities, the likelihood of them having an outdoor accident has plummeted.

The statistics from accident and emergency departments in England demonstrate just how differently youngsters play these days.

In 2006/07 - the latest year for which data is available - 1,067 children under 15 needed medical assistance for tree falls. In 1999/00 the figure was 1,823.

Meanwhile, the number of youngsters under 15 admitted to A&E after bed falls in 2006/07 was 2,531, up from 2,226 in 1999/2000.

The figures lend weight to the Government's campaign to get more children away from computer games and into the great outdoors.

Ministers are giving councils £235million over three years to develop up to 3,500 play areas.

Unfortunately, when Children's Secretary Ed Balls and Culture Secretary Andy Burnham tried to swing on ropes in a London park at the strategy's launch earlier this month, they ended up colliding in a twisted mess of limbs.

Frank Furedi, a professor of sociology at the University of Kent, and author of Paranoid Parenting, said: "One of the things I have noticed is that trees seem to attract less children than in the past.

"Parents and family members would have encouraged their children to climb trees years ago but now they're becoming no-go areas.

"It's important to remember that climbing trees and having the odd accident is part of a wonderful childhood experience. It teaches us how to manage risk and how to handle ourselves in unexpected circumstances."

He added, however, that promoting play strategies in parks is the wrong kind of focus.

"A lot of kids want to work out for themselves how they want to play."

A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: "Climbing trees allows kids to get out and about, be active, experience the world around them and interact with nature.

"We've got nothing against climbing trees, it can be a great way of kids learning to deal with risks.

"We have asked ourselves whether it's better to break a wrist falling from a tree than developing Repetitive Strain Injury from playing computer games."

The number of children under 15 arriving at A&E after falls from playground equipment has risen slightly from 6,581 in 1999/2000 to 6,617 in 2006/07, according to the Hospital Episode Statistics.

But the rise in accidents could be due to a growing number of parents installing apparatus such as climbing frames, slides and trampolines in their back gardens.