Children drawing on walls, staining the carpet and breaking plates costs parents Â£2,000 in repairs by the time they are ten Parents say kids scribble on walls, stain carpets and break stair banisters 2/3 boys were deemed hazardous to the home, compared to just 2/5 girls Half of parents sayÂ home repairs are a main drain on their finances Many say children cause the most accidents when playing too roughly The average child will cause more than Â£2,000 worth of damage around the house by the time they reach the age of ten. The incredible bill - footed by parents, of course - includes torn wallpaper, ripped up carpets and even broken windows, according to research out today.Â Half of the mothers and fathers questioned said children are the 'root cause' of destruction to the house - even more so than unruly pets, severe weather and bodged D.I.Y. jobs. Hazard! Children at play: Destruction caused by children includes torn wallpaper, ripped up carpets and even broken windowsÂ The research showed almost four in ten parents have found scribbles on the walls, whilst permanent stains on the carpet, shattered plates and broken stair banisters are other unwelcome discoveries. And 15 per cent of parents said their children have blocked the toilet or sink, and the same amount have had a window smashed. Four per cent of parents reported their kids had even set something on fire in their homes. Intentional scratches on surfaces, carpets being pulled up and broken beds that had been jumped on too hard were also listed among the carnage. Two in three boys were deemed hazardous to the home by their parents - compared to just four in ten girls. And it's sons aged four to ten who are most likely to cause domestic chaos, raking in 36 per cent of the vote - whilst daughters of the same age received only 22 per cent. Children cause the most accidents when playing too roughly, said one in three parents.Â Having a tantrum or friends to visit also heightened the chance of damage. According to the poll, more than half of parents have spent money repairing the consequences of their child's actions with costs coming in at an average of Â£200 a year. Unwelcome artwork: Many parents have to redecorate after their children take to drawing on the walls Half even cited forking out for home repairs as one of the main drains on their finances - with 29 per cent who said they keep money aside as a precaution. In an effort to improve things, six in ten said they've tried to teach their kids to be more considerate of the home, whereas 22 per cent have gone to the extent of never leaving them alone in a room. But still, 25 per cent of parents feel they can't buy anything breakable out of fear it will be ruined within months. A spokesman for home-insurance company MORE TH>N, which commissioned the research, said: 'We all know that children are more accident-prone than adults, but it's surprising how much damage they can cause. Younger children playing with friends or siblings can get overexcited and clumsy, whereas the heavy-handedness of teenagers can also be a risk. The results show that repairing this damage, however small, can add up to a lot of money over time. Especially when we take into account the additional wear-and-tear that a home suffers. 'Over the years our homes will inevitably suffer from wear and tear, a lot of which can't be prevented. 'But if your children are a common instigator to damage, it pays to have accidental damage cover as part of your home insurance.'Â Most common damage caused by childrenÂ Drawing on walls Permanent stains on the carpet Breaking plates and crockery Damaging furniture Footprints/handprints on surfaces Scratching upholstery Blocking the toilet Accidentally smashing a window Scratching walls with bikes Blocking kitchen/bathroom sink Breaking beds by jumping on them Staining kitchen surfaces Breaking door handles Pulling up carpets Splashing paint on everything Gluing things to furniture and walls Breaking banister to the stairs Breaking the TV Setting things on fire Putting toys in the microwaveÂ