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Airbnb Launches New Online Experiences to Support After-School Learning

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  • Over a third of parents say their children are missing out on extracurricular activities, and one in five expect fewer activities to be available
  • Lack of stimulation (45%), missing out on social development (44%) and damaging career prospects (18%) are among the top worries for parents
  • Bill Nye, Olivia Wilde and Marley Dias to kick off a special collection of immersive Airbnb Online Experiences to help families learn from anywhere this autumn

Today, Airbnb is launching a new collection of Online Experiences – Field Trips – designed for parents to broaden their children’s horizons and supplement their core curriculum.

This come as a new study* of UK parents reveals that over a third have had their kids’ after-school activities shut down (35%), and one in five expect fewer activities as a result of the pandemic (21%). 

Sports activities have seen the biggest decrease, as 24% fewer parents said their kids actively take part in these now compared to before Covid-19, this was followed by performing arts, which saw a 16% drop. 

The decrease in activities is a cause for concern amongst parents, with a lack of stimulation being the top worry (45%), followed by children missing out on social development (44%). Over a third of parents (35%) also anticipate their children’s fitness levels may decline, whilst 18% fear the reduction of extracurricular activities could be detrimental to long-term career prospects.

Parents’ Top Five Concerns:

  • Lack of stimulation for my children (45%)
  • My children missing out on social development (44%)
  • Too much non-educational screen time for my children  (38%)
  • My children’s fitness level may decline (35%)
  • The negative impact of increased social media on my children (23%)

An increase in non-educational screen time is a worry for parents, with over a third (38%) being concerned about this, however 69% are happy for their children to have additional screen time that is focused on engaging and immersive learning. **

These concerns show that parents are more than aware of the benefits of extracurricular activities, as 59% say they can help improve their children’s social skills and 52 percent believe they help them make friends. 

Through Airbnb’s newest collection of Online Experiences hosted by passionate, expert hosts, parents can now send their kids on a virtual trip of discovery with some of the world’s brightest and bravest.

Special activities will include “Decoding The Science of 2020” with Bill Nye (the science guy), a “Socially Conscious Story Hour” with filmmaker, actress and activist Olivia Wilde, and “How to be a Social Problem Solver” with the Dias family of #1000BlackGirlBooks, among others. 

“We want everyone, kids especially, to be curious. Asking questions and seeking answers is how we make discoveries and learn about the world around us. We’ll encourage questions and share facts with a new generation about some of this year’s hottest topics in science. It’ll be a blast.”

Bill Nye

Families can now gain unique access to 75+ extracurricular Online Experiences hosted fromover 20countries around the world, including: 

The collection will also feature a number of activities affiliated with Classroom Champions, a non-profit where volunteer Olympians, Paralympians and Professional Athletes offer a social and emotional based curriculum and mentorship experiences to K-8 classrooms. Classroom Champions helps Olympians and Paralympians bring these experiences to life online, where you can now find them on Airbnb through Field Trips. 

“As a mother of young children, I’ve been navigating the challenges of at-home education with my own family this year,” Wilde said. “Now more than ever, I believe the stories we tell our children today are an integral part of who they become tomorrow.  I’m delighted to offer this experience to encourage storytelling that fosters empathy, awareness and curiosity.”

“It’s a difficult time to be a student,” 15-year-old Dias said. “Without the structure of the traditional school experience in place, it’s important we find creative ways to incorporate immersive and engaging activities into our increasingly virtual lives. Airbnb’s new collection of Online Experiences is a treasure trove of extracurriculars for kids like me who are looking to connect with the world around us from home.”

These Online Experiences will range from £1 to £100. See the entire collection starting today at airbnb.com/fieldtrips. 

All proceeds from Nye’s Social Impact Experience will go to The Planetary Society, a non-profit whose mission is to empower the world’s citizens to advance space science and exploration. All proceeds for both Wilde and Dias’s Social Impact Experiences will go to Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco, a community-based organisation with skilled and caring staff that offers high-quality programs and support services to help at-risk youth ages 6-18 build skills and confidence for a successful future.   

*Based on a sample of 2,000 UK Parents of Children aged 6-14, carried out in September 2020 by OnePoll  

**answers combined responses of ‘completely agree’ and ‘somewhat agree’ 

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million Hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

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