Half of Milton Keynes children play on phones and tablets around the dinner table, study shows

Pub brand Hungry Horse conducted the survey as part of its aim to help facilitate dinner time conversation this autumn.

It has launched a new initiative called Table Talk, designed to bring people together around the dinner table and reengage in the art of holding face to face conversations.

And the pub has partnered with popular family psychologist Emma Kenny to create conversation starters for both parents and kids, in the form of fun new activity sheets.

The study found more than a third (37%) of parents struggle to engage with their child at dinner time, with nearly a third (30%) of kids rarely communicating with their parents around the table as a result.

The data further shows the average UK family eats together just three times a week, with under one in five (19%) doing so a full seven days a week and more than one in 20 (7%) never eating together.

Now the special Hungry Horse activty sheets will be available for customers to enjoy across all 226 of the brand’s pubs from this week.

Emma Kenny said: "While technology has revolutionised communication in some amazing ways, it has also made us become lazier when it comes to face to face conversation, which is now in decline in society. The risk of allowing this is that we and our children will lose out on developing important social and emotional skills.

"That's why it's so important to facilitate families to get together at dinner time and engage in conversation, helping our little ones nurture the skills they need in life and communicate effectively, not to mention strengthening those important family bonds that play such a big part in our lives."

Sarah Williams, Senior Marketing Manager at Hungry Horse, said: “Mealtimes are about so much more than just eating – they’re about bringing people together to share memorable moments around the dinner table. That’s what our new Table Talk initiative is all about!