Children not seen OR heard as street play declines

Kids celebrate PLAY-tinum Jubilee on horseback

Council u-turn on play street charges

Join the pledge! Summer of Play

 

This weekend, dozens of residential streets in London will become temporary play areas.

Londonist 21 September 2023

World Car Free Day 2023 is celebrated on 22 September across the world, but here in London we’re making a long weekend of it. Across the capital, many streets will be closed off to traffic, allowing communities to get together on the tarmac. Space hoppers are optional.

The event is organised by London Play with help from Transport for London. The hundred or so streets taking part are all doing so voluntarily with the full buy-in of residents. It’s a chance to see how our streets can be used when the motor car is banished.

Got to Londonist to read more.

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Spacehopper will be the only way to travel in London over Car Free Day weekend this month. A rainbow chalk racetrack is ready to be rolled out outside Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and residents of over a hundred streets across London are excitedly awaiting the chance to bounce safely and gleefully down the middle of their road thanks to London Play, the Greater London Authority,  London’s councils and Transport for London.

World Car Free Day is marked annually across the globe on 22nd September, and this year is being celebrated in the capital over the weekend of Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th September. With the support of the GLA more than 100 streets across 17 London boroughs are taking part, transforming temporarily into playful social spaces for residents of all ages to have fun on their doorsteps. Having ‘jumped at the chance’ to apply to their local council to try out a play street, Londoners will experience the joyful potential of the space outside their front doors, free of traffic. Free spacehoppers and other play equipment – along with advice and information to help plan a successful event – are on offer from the charity London Play, which has been running its ‘Swap your Car for a Spacehopper’ campaign in the leadup to the event.

The fun will kick off on Friday with a colour explosion outside Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, where a chalk rainbow spacehopper track will transform the street and offer children and their families welcome respite with a few hours of outdoor play. On Saturday, Deptford High Street joins in the action with a giant hopscotch, street games, junk modelling and you guessed it, more spacehoppers! But the majority of events will take place on residential streets on Sunday, when children will be found hopping, skipping, skating and chalking on their doorsteps while adults are sipping, chatting and watching on. Lucky residents on one street in Wandsworth who have won a free on-street go kart build and race workshop in London Play’s prize draw will be getting into the nuts and bolts of emissions-free travel!

Play streets are simple, resident-organised events where neighbours on a road agree together to close their street temporarily, but regularly to through traffic. This allows children to play, drawing adults out too. On the diverse and ever-changing streets of London, play streets offer people a rare opportunity to meet their neighbours informally in the shared neutral space of the street. With most local authorities supportive, Car Free Day is an ideal opportunity to try out a play street without committing to regular events.

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said:

“With the realities of climate change becoming ever clearer, there has never been a better time to adopt greener, more sustainable modes of transport.

‘’Car Free Day gives us an opportunity to do just that, transforming streets into playful social spaces, where people of all ages can come together to walk, cycle, scoot, wheel, play and socialise safely, where it is not normally possible to do so.

“I’m delighted that London Play, TfL and London councils are supporting this by encouraging Londoners to join in the fun and reclaim their streets on spacehoppers. Initiatives like this support our aim to continue making the capital a greener, safer and healthier place.”

 

Melian Mansfield, chair of London Play said:

“Play is essential for children’s health and happiness but in London, space to play is very limited. Streets make up a massive 80 per cent of all public space in the capital. Car Free Day is a great opportunity for Londoners of all ages to experience the great untapped potential of this space – literally on their doorstep – to have fun, make connections and enjoy the sense of community that develops.”

Once participants have enjoyed the experience of seeing their street in a new light – as valuable community space rather than just parking space for cars – it is hoped that many will go on to apply for regular play street sessions. For more information contact London Play via info@londonplay.org.uk, call 0203 384 8513 or visit www.londonplaystreets.org.uk

 

Play news
Londoners who let their children play out are receiving warning letters from councils, threats from neighbours and visits from the police according to responses to a Guardian survey.
London Play Press Releases
Londoners are being invited to ‘swap their cars for spacehoppers’ this September, when at least 200 streets across the capital are hoped to transform into temporary play spaces in celebration of Car Free Day.

FIND A PLACE TO PLAY

Click here to go to our play map and find adventure playgrounds, play streets and all our other favourite places to play in London.
VISIT OUR PLAY MAP
 

A report from Play England shows that children playing out on their street regularly brings big benefits for their health and wellbeing – but are increasingly being prevented from doing so by disapproving neighbours.

This report provides an overview of results from the PlayDay 2022 survey, conducted by Play England in partnership with Save the Children. The survey questions aligned with a previous survey conducted by Play England in 2013.

The report shows how children regularly playing out in their street has declined dramatically over the past 70+ years. Importantly it also demonstrates that regularly playing out is associated with better wellbeing during childhood, as well as better mental health into adulthood. The survey results show that children want to spend more time in the area where they live, and that the proportion of children saying this has increased significantly since the 2013 survey was conducted.

Overall, the report presents a dire picture of declining outdoor play close to home and a society where parents are made to worry about their children making noise outside in case it upsets the neighbours. Children want to spend more time in their local area but are frequently being given the message that they, and their play, are not welcome.

Read the full report here

FIND A PLACE TO PLAY

Click here to go to our play map and find adventure playgrounds, play streets and all our other favourite places to play in London.
VISIT OUR PLAY MAP
 

Londoners are being invited to ‘swap their cars for spacehoppers’ this September, when at least 200 streets across the capital are hoped to transform into temporary play spaces in celebration of Car Free Day.

The charity London Play is giving away free spacehoppers and other play ‘stuff’ to residents who are keen to ‘jump’ at the chance to try out a play street on their road. Additionally, one lucky group of neighbours will win an on-street go kart build and race workshop on the day. World Car Free Day is on Friday 22 September, and this year will be marked in London between Friday 22 and Sunday 24 September. 

Play streets are simple, resident-organised events where neighbours on a road agree together to close their street temporarily, but regularly to through traffic. This allows children to play, while adults watch on, chat and get to know each other better – or join in.  

With most local authorities supportive of the idea, Car Free Day is an ideal opportunity to try out a play street without committing to regular events. And people across the capital will be doing the same! Applicants will need to consult their neighbours and apply to their council well in advance. The exact process differs from borough to borough, but London Play can advise on this as well as support with promotion and consultation; and provide free play equipment to jump start the fun. 

“Streets make up a massive 80 per cent of the public space in London. Car Free Day is a great opportunity for all Londoners to appreciate the great untapped potential of this space – literally on their doorstep – to build community, have fun and get active with their neighbours. Why not jump in?”

Fiona Sutherland, London Play 

Once residents have seen their street in a new light, as valuable community space rather than just parking space for cars, it is hoped that many will go on to apply for regular play street sessions. For more information contact London Play via info@londonplay.org.uk, call 0203 384 8513 or visit www.londonplaystreets.org.uk  

FIND A PLACE TO PLAY

Click here to go to our play map and find adventure playgrounds, play streets and all our other favourite places to play in London.
VISIT OUR PLAY MAP
 

London residents are calling the police on neighbours who allow their children to play out, according to a Guardian survey.

“Do your children face problems playing outside?”

The Guardian invited responses to this question from its readers and among the hundreds of replies “a number of people reported warnings from authorities or threats from neighbours.”

In Waltham Forest one parent received repeated council warnings and a visit from the police for allowing her children to play in space designed as a low traffic “parklet” by the council. In a video promoting the design – which won an environmental award last year – children are shown playing in the space. In a statement Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, the cabinet member for community safety, pointed to nearby parks that were available and said: “Everyone deserves to expect peace and quiet in their homes, especially late in the evening. We will work to balance the right for children to play in their neighbourhood with the right for others to feel safe and comfortable in their own home.”

In Newham, east London, Ilona Saber said she faced opposition from neighbours and authority figures for allowing her young son to play on their quiet road while keeping an eye on him from home.

“Over the past couple of years I have had police knock on my door about reports my young son was in danger because he was playing near the house and then last summer Newham council street enforcement officers brought my son to my door because they saw him playing with friends near our house and were concerned.”

She said when she tried to bring a safe play area to an unused space on the street, neighbours fought to stop it. “I got council funding for some small play equipment for a little unused corner on our road. It was all ready to go. But neighbours wrote to our MP saying it would disturb their peace and they found a procedural issue with the consultation despite our efforts and the councils to involve people. Sadly they were able to stop it.”

For the full story visit the Guardian website.

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Click here to go to our play map and find adventure playgrounds, play streets and all our other favourite places to play in London.
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Fewer children are playing out on their streets than ever before, new research reveals, as a leading child psychologist warns of the negative impact this could have on child mental health.

Research carried out to mark National Play Day has revealed that just 27 per cent of children regularly play outside their homes, compared to 71 per cent of their grandparents’ generation. For those aged specifically between 55 – 64, it was 80 per cent showing that rates of play have declined steadily in just a few generations.

The research carried out by OnePoll to mark National Play Day (August 3), surveyed 3000 adults and children and also found that as well as traffic, parents and neighbours may be curbing children’s ability to play outside their own homes.

One in four children who took part in the survey said they had been told to stop playing in the street or local area either by their parents or neighbours and 30 per cent said they had been told to stop making noise outside.

Helen Dodd, Professor of Child Psychology at University of Exeter, said:

“To have just 27 per cent of children playing out today compared to 80 per cent in the past represents a huge change to the nature of childhood experiences. It’s logical to expect this to have consequences for young people’s development. As a society we’re perhaps not taking seriously enough.”

She continued: “Some consequences of this reduced level of playing out could be on friendship development, social skills, freedom, independence and negotiation of shared spaces. We are also concerned that these changes to children’s experiences could have an adverse effect on their mental health.

“It was also striking to me that 41 per cent of children had been told to stop playing out by either their parents or other adults such as neighbours. It almost feels like we’re going back to a point where we don’t want to be disturbed by ‘noisy children’”.

Adults who said they regularly played out in their street or area close to their home as a child had better mental health as adults, the survey revealed. Children under 13 who had frequently played out also reported good mental health.

Campaigners and child development experts are now calling for children across the UK to enjoy fun, friends and freedom this summer with the launch of the Summer of Play campaign.

Now in its second year, the group encourages business, councils and charities to pledge their support for more play opportunities for families, particularly for families struggling with the cost of living crisis.

Major companies such as Kingsmill and Amazon are backing the campaign and there are hundreds of activities planned for National Play Day on August 3 and throughout the summer holidays. This year the theme is All To Play For, highlighting that play is for everyone and post-pandemic, play is more important than ever.

Anita Grant, chair of Play England, said:

“The relationship between adventurous play and mental health is stronger for children growing up in lower income families. This suggests that adventurous play might be more beneficial for these children and will increase resilience and improved well being. So it is more important than ever that we keep our focus on play and specifically adventurous outdoor play.

The survey is supported by Play England, Play Scotland, Play Wales, Play Northern Ireland with charity Save The Children. 1000 children and young people aged 6-16 years, 1000 adults aged 18+ and 1000 parents of children aged 6-16 years took part.

The Summer of Play campaign is asking organisations to pledge their support at www.summerofplay.co.uk

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Riders on (inflatable) horseback brought some regal silliness – and play street inspiration – to Rigdale Road’s Jubilee street party.

TOWER HAMLETS: A new play street could be in the making following a successful Jubilee street party in Rigdale Road. The borough of Tower Hamlets is a late-comer to play streets, having only recently adopted a policy to allow residents to open their streets regularly for play. London Play is working in the borough this year to make sure residents are aware that this is now a possibility, and support them to apply to become trail blazer play streets for the borough.

A Jubilee competition run by London Play invited those planning street parties to enter a PLAY-tinum prize draw and win a ‘polo’ set to bring some regally-flavoured playfulness to their day. Rigdale Road was the winning street and the sight of be-crowned children galloping on inflatable horses, brandishing hockey sticks and with velvet cloaks flowing behind them delighted young and old alike.

The organiser commented:

It was such a lovely surprise to win the London Play Street competition for play equipment for our Jubilee Street Party. The street hockey – adapted by the London play team to be Royal polo! – was a real hit. It gave the children a fun and energetic game to let off steam and great time was had by all.

The organising committee for the street party was really interested to learn about play streets and is keen to work with London Play to explore the possibilities. The organiser added:

Having the opportunity for neighbours to socialise while the children play safely in the street would be fantastic. Hopefully the initiative can be well received across the streets, estate blocks and parks throughout the borough.

Tower Hamlets is one of four boroughs being targeted for support in the final year of London Play’s Playful Communities project.  Islington, Hammersmith and Fulham and Lambeth are the other three boroughs, where residents who are interested in starting a play street will get one to one support and free play street kits.

Contact catherine@londonplay.org.uk for more information.

Playful Communities is a four year project supported by The National Lottery Community Fund. It concludes at the end of October 2022.

Play news
Fewer children are playing out on their streets than ever before, new research reveals, as a leading child psychologist warns of the negative impact this could have on child mental health.
Play news
A new report from the Early Intervention Foundation argues that the Covid-19 pandemic has “negatively impacted” children’s physical development.

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A rapid review of emerging international and UK evidence on the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on children’s early physical development suggests there have been substantial changes to children’s lifestyle and behaviour putting their healthy development at risk.

child playing indoors

The report, titled Growing up in the Covid-19 pandemic An evidence review of the impact of pandemic life on physical development in the early years, outlines how lockdown and closed services have impacted children in the early years, and says there have been a “substantial changes” to children’s lifestyles and behaviour as a result of the pandemic. It finds that the pandemic has “disproportionately and adversely” impacted vulnerable children, putting their physical development at greater risk.

Concerns highlighted include those relating to more time spent inside: decreases in physical activity and increases in sedentary behaviour (screen time); and increased risk of vitamin D deficiency; as well as changes in diet and increased food insecurity.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, commented:

We are very concerned about the extent to which children’s physical development has been affected by the pandemic. Practitioners have been reporting notable differences in children’s physical development since reopening their settings in June of last year – especially in urban areas where homes are often smaller and there are fewer opportunities to play outside.

For more on this story go to the EYA website.

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Click here to go to our play map and find adventure playgrounds, play streets and all our other favourite places to play in London.
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London Play has supported a successful resident-led campaign to overturn a decision by Croydon Council to introduce charges for children playing in the street.

Resident Sue Ahmad was “shocked and angered” when she was told that there would be a charge of £234 to renew the licence for a play street that has been running in Thornton Heath since 2018. Her street, Livingstone Road is closed to through traffic for three hours on every second Sunday of the month Between March and October,

“The decision to introduce this charge seems very short-sighted, particularly now; when communities have suffered through more than a year of isolation and separation.”

The council confirmed on June 4 that a £234 charge would be levied to pay the costs of advertising the road closure, despite it not being a legal requirement.

In a letter to Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon Cllr Muhammad Ali, London Play deputy director Fiona Sutherland wrote: “The decision to introduce this charge seems very short-sighted, particularly now; when communities have suffered through more than a year of isolation and separation, accompanied by a marked decline in the mental and physical health of both children and adults.  Play streets are a cheap and easy resident-led initiative which mitigate exactly these negative impacts. Now more than ever, they should be encouraged.”

A petition challenging the council organised by play street organiser Siobhain O’Hanlon attracted 600 signatures and then yesterday Cllr Ali confirmed on Twitter that Croydon Council “has always supported play street events and will continue to support anyone who wants to organise a play street without any charges.” Officers at the council confirmed there would be no charge and that the earlier notices had been sent ‘in error’. 

Play news
The number of children seeking help for mental health problems increased by 28% during the pandemic, new figures have revealed.
London Play Press Releases
24 MAY 2020: London Play is one of  many organisations behind a campaign to ensure that every child has the space, time, and freedom to play this summer as Covid-19 restrictions are eased

FIND A PLACE TO PLAY

Click here to go to our play map and find adventure playgrounds, play streets and all our other favourite places to play in London.
VISIT OUR PLAY MAP
 

The London Play is one of many organisations behind the #SummerOfPlay campaign, to give children the space, time, and freedom to play this summer as Covid-19 restrictions are eased. Can your organisation join the pledge?

For more than a year, children across the UK have been forced to spend time indoors, inactive and isolated from friends due to Covid-19 restrictions. It is not surprising that we have seen unprecedented increases in children’s mental health problems and loneliness, alongside reduced physical activity.

In response, child psychologists, paediatricians and educators have independently and urgently called for play to be central to children’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, and many others agree. Together we now are calling for everyone to help make this summer a #SummerOfPlay for children across the UK.

“After everything children have been through over the last year, we are calling on organisations to sign the pledge to support children’s play this summer.”

To join the #SummerOfPlay campaign, please take the pledge to enable all children, in all our communities, to have space and time for play this summer by supporting fun, friends, and freedom.

Sign the pledge here

London Play in the news
London Play has joined academics and other play campaigners in calling on the government to support 'a summer of play' to help children recover from the stress of lockdown and a year of Covid upheaval.
London Play in the news
16 MAY 2020: London Play will be bringing joy back to the city streets this summer as part of the Mayor's 'Let's Do London' campaign, to encourage Londoners and visitors back into the capital.
Games
Jump rope with a difference

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