After more than a year stuck at home, UK kids are looking forward to the future—and hoping it includes lots of in-person learning and shopping.

According to new research from Childwise that was collected for its latest “Buzz Bulletin—Kids in Lockdown” report, kids are eager for a complete or partial return to normal, with one-third (36%) saying they’d choose to learn completely in person at school, if given the option. A similar number (35%) of kids want a mix of at-home and in-school learning, while only 20% want to continue with full-time remote learning.

Young shoppers are also eager to get back into brick-and-mortar stores again. Although nearly a quarter of kids surveyed (23%) say they’ve done a lot of online shopping during the pandemic, 27% would prefer to  browse in person. Online shopping can present some challenges for kids, who might not have their own credit/debit card (12%), or whose parents won’t let them buy things online (10%). The spike in e-commerce missed some children entirely, with one in eight (12%) not making any online purchases in the last year.

Overall, the pandemic hasn’t been easy for UK kids, with 45% saying they felt more stressed during lockdown. More than half (56%) say they lost contact with some friends, and 48% felt more anxious about school work. On the flip side, eight in 10 respondents enjoyed having more free time, 72% felt more comfortable being themselves, and 63% were more relaxed working at home.

Childwise surveyed 1,497 kids between the ages of seven and 17 in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from September to October 2020.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash