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23/09/23
London Play in the news
It's Car Free Day this weekend
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13/09/23
London Play Press Releases
Spacehopper the 'only way' to travel this Car Free Day!
Spacehopper will be the only way to travel on more than 100 streets in London over Car Free Day weekend this month.
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11/08/23
Play news
Dire picture of declining outdoor play
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.
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10/07/23
London Play Press Releases
Spacehoppers to take over London’s streets
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.
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17/04/23
Play news
Threats and police visits for playing outside
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.
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09/08/22
Play news
Children not seen OR heard as street play declines
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.
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28/06/22
London Play Press Releases
Kids celebrate PLAY-tinum Jubilee on horseback
Riders on (inflatable) horseback brought some regal silliness to Rigdale Road's Jubilee street party in June.
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29/11/21
Play news
Child development hit by lack of play
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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30/06/21
London Play in the news
Council u-turn on play street charges
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.
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24/05/21
London Play Press Releases
Join the pledge! Summer of Play
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
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16/05/21
London Play in the news
Joy to return to city streets
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.
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14/04/21
Play news
All the youth we cannot see
Connecting children to public space outdoors had a watershed moment when Richard Louv published his now classic Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. A new handbook on designing public space for children includes a chapter from London Play, on play streets.
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14/04/21
Play news
Children bear brunt of mental health crisis
The number of children seeking help for mental health problems increased by 28% during the pandemic, new figures have revealed.
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16/02/21
London Play in the news
London Play calls for a 'summer of play'
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.
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12/09/20
London Play Press Releases
What does the new 'rule of six' mean for play streets?
From Monday 14 September, it will be illegal in England, unless at school or work, for someone to meet more than five other people at a time. What does this mean for play streets?
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07/07/20
London Play Press Releases
Support for return to play on the street
07 JULY 2020: Most play street organisers are ready to consider reopening their streets for play - if councils give the green light, according to a survey by London Play.
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30/06/20
London Play Press Releases
Time for a return to play on the street
30 June 2020: Hundreds of play streets across the country have been suspended during the coronavirus lockdown. But as playgrounds reopen, London Play believe that now is the time to open up additional public space for children and communities in the form of play streets.
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06/04/20
Play news
'Not being very good' stops kids being active
The number of children managing the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day drops by 40% as they move through primary school.
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04/10/19
London Play Press Releases
400,000 sqm of instant play space
More than four square kilometres of temporary play space was created in an instant last month as Londoners came out to play on their car free streets.
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09/09/19
Play news
£100K play streets project for Newham
Residents are being encouraged to set up traffic-free ‘play streets’ outside their homes. The £100,000 a year project will allow people to close streets from traffic for up to four hours during daylight, allowing children to play in the public space close to their homes.
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14/06/19
London Play in the news
No play punishment must stop
Withdrawing play time from school children as punishment is an infringement of children's human rights and is a practice which should be stopped, says the British Psychological Society.
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01/04/19
Play news
London 'two tier play' exposed
LONDON: As many as half a dozen housing developments across London – most of them relatively new – separate play areas for richer and poorer children.
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01/04/19
Play news
School's out for play street!
TOWER HAMLETS: Play time has extended onto the street for two schools in Tower Hamlets
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06/02/19
Play news
Cool million for West Ham play
NEWHAM: Almost £1.2m is to be spent upgrading West Ham Park playground and installing a new water play area.
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