We need to wake up as a society - we can't keep children in cramped rooms all day sitting down - then send them home to flats and houses without safe space for play - and then be surprised when they fail to thrive.
I've written a piece about what's gone wrong for our children - we know they are unhappy - look around the streets you live on and you might get a clue why...
I've been down at a lively protest - last night children came out in their pajamas to stop Tower Hamlets Council demolishing a play space and safe street furniture - they sent the contractors packing...
This is the most stunning collection of photos of children playing - captured by Tamsyn Ward who wanted to document what is - sadly - a vanishing world. I hope we can all be inspired by it.
In this article - behind the horrible and wrong headline - are the sad facts - children in the Uk are among the least active (not laziest) in the world - we know this is because they are denied the time and space for play.
Its my birthday and Ive been shortlisted for the British Journalism awards built environment category for my reporting on the fight for children's spaces in housing....so its a good day ..
Does anyone know anything about this - ? Montclare St E London - 1962 - children doing the Twist to protest at cars taking their play space - I'd love to know more! Where are they now?
I went to new cross in S London to speak to children and families who lost their local park to a construction site - in 2016! the housing developer promised to return it but it's still boarded up
This playground - boarded up waiting for 'crowdfunding' is minutes from one of the richest football clubs on earth - a horribly example of where money goes in our society. We won't have future football players if children can't run, play and enjoy green spaces properly.
''From 6 or 7 play is gone - it's brutal, children' aren't ready'" - I have spent the past few months speaking with so many amazing people about play in schools - particularly the inspiring people at
@OpalCic
I love this video - and it shows the importance of doorstep play spaces. If children don't have room to play together in mixed ages - they can't learn from each other.
Child Development 101. 📚
If ever there was a video that summarized child development in a nutshell this might be it.
Whether it’s walking, talking, reading, writing…or tumbling, young children observe the world around them and progress gradually toward more and more
Oh my goodness, some rage inducing reporting calling children lazy - children aren't lazy -they have been barricaded in their homes by cars lined up and down their own streets - then forced to sit down all day at school when they would rather be playing outside!
And, of course, reducing everyday opportunities for children to play out - run, climb, chase, swing, jump, etc.
Play has always been the primary way children ‘exercise’ (probably even at 15 where play might look different).
"I hear the sound of children in flats - but they have nowhere to play" - I spoke to campaigners in Birmingham about plans to allow thousands of new homes with little green space.
Some brilliant news - the Levelling Up Committee are going to hold an inquiry on 'children, young people and the built environment' - and the intro from MP Clive Betts
@CommonsLUHC
talks about the importance of children's spaces for play - hooray !
I've been to Bells Garden estate in Peckham - to write about the sad situation they are living with.
London council rips out playgrounds to build houses – then runs out of cash
@annelongfield
School should be more 'ready' to meet the needs of the very young children arriving into reception through play - as we know other countries don't start formal learning until 7. This would be one way to tackle this.
@NickGibbUK
In other european countries children are outdoors playing most of the day at the age of 5. By doing this they talk, engage and share 'learning' with their peers in an enjoyable child led way.
@CarrieGrant1
yep. the idea of a register suggests parents 'hiding' these children - laughable. Parents desperately trying to get the right help and support.
It's not just about austerity and 'cuts' when we lose children's play spaces - we have to get a deeper understanding of the importance of play back into the heart of local / central government. Play England are calling for legislation that would protect children's play spaces.
The vital role of 'play' in the happiness of children and teenagers - let's be clear, this is a key part of why we have such unhappy young people. We have created 'indoor/ sedentary' lives for children and it isn't making them happy.
Seen today's
@guardian
lead story on children's happiness? Wondering what might lie behind the global decline? Here's a clue. In every country studied, children who play out regularly are more happy than those who don't. (Source in comment.)
I've written about many upsetting things in my time - but this is one story that has really touched my heart - the fate of Leicesters adventure playgrounds -
One thought I had about play in primary....is these kids we see building dens and dressing up....some of them will transition within months to the totally joyless world of secondary break times
"On a grey, February day, children are building a den out of wood and tarpaulin, swinging on ropes from under a jutting roof as well as running about playing ballgames." Wonderful to see the awesome
@fairlightschool
in the
@guardian
🙌
#OPALSchools
Forget helicopter parent tropes - this is the reality. Alice Ferguson, of Playing Out, said: “children’s lives have become incredibly restricted, indoors, isolated and inactive, largely due to changes in the outdoor environment."
I was so inspired by Damien Jordan and his brilliant approach to play at Fairlight primary in Brighton - with the team at
@OPAL_CIC
- I hope his vision encourages others
Will the Children’s Wellbeing Bill be solely focused on schools? More info here suggests yes, probably () but will be interesting to see if and where play features as the bill develops
#KingsSpeech
This is brilliant (though sad) - a full 9 minutes exploring lack of funding for playgrounds and the impact that has on children - and explaining the issues behind it.
A great feature by
@BBCSouthNews
on play and playgrounds, where I spoke about the importance of play and the need for play sufficiency legislation in England.
In England, children are all but ignored within the national planning policy framework (NPPF). For example, the 2021
We have just lost our minds as a society - children used to naturally move and be active all day long! It was called free play and children had access to it all by themselves. Now we invent 'sport' strategies to try and replace what we have lost.
As far as I can tell from a search, there is no mention of (children’s) play in this plan to get (adults and) children more active, despite play being children’s primary form of physical activity. Making space for play is a way to make space for movement.
I really believe a huge part of this is loss of the hours and hours of free play that children have been designed by evolution to need in order to thrive
I've been speaking to council residents about infill housing again - we desperately need affordable homes - but should council estates lose play space/ trees and green space for them?
As the parent of an autistic child - I can't help but seethe with rage at the argument that it is parents to blame for the breakdown in school attendance - the reality is our rigid school system is failing children in a million ways.
Well - if the Telegraph are outraged at one park losing its swings (because of the 'EU'? ) - I can't wait til they learn what's going on across the country because of local council cuts!
Well - watching
@CommonsLUHC
- the minister for housing - Lee Rowley is happy to admit he does not think there should be any protection for children in planning - focus is just on building more houses. Chief planner also doesnt thnk children need particular protection.
We're back in Parliament today for final session of
@CommonsLUHC
inquiry on children's access to outdoor space/play. Keen to hear from
@joannaaverley
@Jeanelleuk
and housing minister
@Lee4NED
responding from Govt. How will children's needs be met?
The surge in children becoming overweight and obese during the pandemic means at least 56,000 more children will grow up at heightened risk of serious illness and cost the NHS an extra £8bn. Imagine if even half that amount was now spent on parks & play
Tower Hamlets council sent contractors in the middle of the night to remove structures that were part of a school street - against the wishes of many of the parents and children. The key question - is will the council put back any measures to control traffic ?
As parent to a school refusing anxious child - I sadly know that there is almost no NHS mental health support for children in this country. That is no exaggeration.
The work of adventure playgrounds - not just play but making sure kids are fed - often while parents are busy, at work, have stuff to do - helping the whole family and sending kids back tired and happy.
If anyone feels depressed reading about the state of doorstep play and the lack of freedom and autonomy for children in the UK -
@playingout
are here with solutions - get your street closed and get the kids out playing.
“I can’t say ‘go out and play!’ like my parents said to my sister and me … with who? Where?”
Powerful article by
@harrietgrant
showing the speed at which children’s freedom has been lost over one generation.
@guardian
This headline is not doing justice to this heads vision - he sees kids stuck indoors after school - gaming/ on phones - and is trying to offer play/sport/ socialising/ shared meals - he is talking about a play crisis as well as the screen issue.
‘Playgrounds: Children have fewer places to play as equipment in playgrounds is breaking'
@BBCNewsround
Research carried out by
@PlayEngland
showed the number of adventure playgrounds in England declined by around 15% between 2017-21
#Play
#Playgrounds
@LittleHen33
yep I've always wondered why we don't have large rain/ sun shelters in every playground - so when a bit of rain passes over people could shelter or stop for eating etc - make park trips last longer
So much talk about children changing their mindset to accept school - how about schools changing to fit the needs of children - more play, more time outdoors.
Police letters for kids playing - again! How is everyone's summer going? I'm looking for examples of kids getting hassled for playing - but also any positive stories of streets where children really do play - the good the bad the ugly let me know...
This morning our Executive Director
@EugeneMinogue
spoke to
@RadioHumberside
about children playing out in Hull 🎧⬇️
As ‘Hull parents receive letter and police visit after objections to children playing on front’ -
@HullLive
📰 ⬇️
As
@naomi_fisher
points out children need outdoor play to develop healthily - but - developers and councils are arguing against
@CityPark4Brum
that it would be 'unviable' to provide this in the city centre.
Such brilliant, important - and enraging - reporting from the brilliant people at the Guardian's environment/ education and data teams - more to follow as well.
School playtimes have been getting shorter - while play and freedom are stripped away in other parts of children's lives - so the work
@neil_play
@OPAL_CIC
do is of the highest importance - they revitalise and bring to life school play - well done to them for this award
Woo hoo! We are absolutely thrilled to have won the Play Award for the OPAL Primary Programme at the 2023 Children & Young People Now Awards🤸
#CYPNowAwards
#OPALSchools
@cypnow
"The council said after next year it would struggle to fund any service it did not have a legal duty to provide." SIX adventure playgrounds at risk of closing - hundreds of children would suffer a huge loss.
Six weeks of holidays - for parents on low incomes - no holiday clubs, no activities, no holidays - the same goes for SEN parents - many children can't access holiday activities with strangers. This whole system needs rebooting.
This is what young people and children face - a large green could be used for play but adults want it to remain a 'quiet oasis' so are fighting a playground being built.
It’s this sort of anti children and anti youth rhetoric that led me to stand as a councillor. 'Hands off our Green' as councillor attacks play park 'for teens'
Alarming to see 'remote learning seen as a quick fix solution - children need to get out of their houses and be with their friends - they need to play/ be active as part of their school day - parents need to work - we need community based solutions to this.
There is NO WAY that “remote learning” would have been justified as a disaster response plan if the last few years had not indoctrinated some of the public into thinking that a shut school was ok-ish and came with minimal harms to children*
Great reporting here from
@melyork
at the Sunday Times looking at how play is designed out of new housing - including on the infamously segregated development in Lambeth -
Sadly I speak from personal experience - a MH referral for a child does not lead to care - any care at all. I also believe this is linked to loss of play from childrens day to day lives.
Children’s emergency mental health referrals in England soar
@rcolvile
I actually feel sick reading SEN support described as a 'golden ticket'. The transport is only needed when there is no other suitable school nearer. I can assure you parents would prefer NOT to have to fight for their child to get a school that can actually meet their needs.
This is part of measures that stop rat running through these roads as children are coming in and out - the whole area has been decorated, planted, designed by parents and kids - keeping them safe and making a well used play /community space
I went to Elswick in newcastle to meet families and children and see the poor quality playgrounds there. Lots of people doing good work but huge lack of proper support and funds
“Children in Newcastle left with nowhere to play”. Elswick has a long history of innovative play spaces which were hard won by local residents and which often didn’t last for long. Very sad to see people are still having to fight for basic provision.
Hooray - finally some attention on the unncessary suffering of children in lockdown - how we failed to look at how to give them the best possible access to play/ time outdoors rather than literally making it worse for them than adults.
Children and their families sacrificed so much during lockdown. Their experiences must be listened to and learned from. We
@savechildrenuk
are determined to make sure this happens, so we’re delighted to have been chosen as Core Participants in the official Covid-19 inquiry (1/4)
📣 Our new film, ‘Why play is so important’ is out now!
Narrated by Matthew Rhys, it features children across Wales playing and telling us why play is so important to them.
🎬Watch the full film at
If your local
#playground
or play services
#coulddobetter
sign up to our FREE workshop next weekend
@coramsfields
and find out how you can help change things. Picnic, fun for the kids, friendly faces, inspiration all provided! Just drop us an email info
@londonplay
.org.uk
Calling London's children! The London Play megaphone is charged up and ready. Tomorrow is
#InternationalDayofPlay
& we want to hear your voices. Meet 4.30pm Parliament Square, join the
#ParadeforPlay
and tell adults how to make better London childhoods.
We need investment in swimming pools, gyms, football and basketball pitches, playgrounds, indoor soft plays and green spaces. Recent years have seen these facilities privatised or shuttered which means exercise becomes a luxury good & out of reach.
This in
@guardian
by
@harrietgrant
As a child, I played outside all the time. I note on my travels now in some countries children still do, play. This is a natural process of child development.
With schools become more academic, this is a big issue.
I'm talking to people who live with no outside space - tower blocks, poorly designed estates, houses with no gardens - anyone fits this description or knows someone who does - and would like to talk to me..get in touch...
#journorequest
....
Big day for children's right to play today - the
@CommonsLUHC
inquiry into Children, young people and the built environment will be pressing housing minister
@Lee4NED
on how the Govt is supporting/ encouraging children's doorstep play and active travel....
We're back in Parliament today for final session of
@CommonsLUHC
inquiry on children's access to outdoor space/play. Keen to hear from
@joannaaverley
@Jeanelleuk
and housing minister
@Lee4NED
responding from Govt. How will children's needs be met?
It's Friday!! The weekend ahead looks perfect for some outdoor play adventures😎
But does your local play area measure up? If not please take a pic & share. With your help
#LondonsSaddestPlayground
could be
#LondonsGladdestPlayground
this time next year!!
As people like
@playingout
continually point out - screen time doesn't exist out of context. Children have been driven indoors by the removal of their play spaces on their own streets and neighbourhoods.
I hope it won't be the end for these playgrounds - are the local football community aware - see Leicester FC been promoted - can their foundation step in?
@LCFC_Community
or another Leicester star
@GaryLineker
Important question - but - some of the 'signs' of pandemic change will also be because children no longer have much free play in their day - either at home or in school
For a thing - primary / nursery teachers - in what ways have children changed since the pandemic - from the smallest detail to the most universal. Pinning this tweet for a while ...
Hyper-local research provides a detailed understanding of the factors that enable or constrain play, across 6 different neighbourhoods. Findings will influence recommendations for key priorities and actions.
@Ludicology
#PlaySufficiency
#PlayFriendlyISChildFriendly
It's the 1st International Day of Play & I need your help.
@CfYoungLives
& I just launched the
#RaisingtheNation
Play Commission & we need your ideas to help tear down barriers stopping children from playing. Parents & experts– plse do share thoughts🙏👇
And this is such a vital read - I hope we can begin to challenge the education system that keeps our kids indoors all day - and limits their play to tiny yards ...and slithers of time.
Pointing out that once a child is 8/ 9 ish - if they aren't playing outside without adults for some time at least - they will be replacing that 'needed ' play with online play - it isn't the screens keeping them in - it's the lack of access to outdoor play keeping them on screens
Responding to the idea that being parent to a disabled child is a "golden ticket". It will be too late for Elvi but the next Govt must stop the SEND scandal. My brief was 800 words, there's so, so much more I could have said.
@DCPcampaign
war used to be fought between armies - over the last 100 years the burden has shifted and now it is considered normal for thousands of innocent people to die. Horrible to see the - morally wrong - bombing of Dresden by UK used by some to justify child deaths in Gaza.
There are no words that can excuse or explain the horror of what children in Gaza are experiencing.
Children in Gaza have nowhere safe left to go. If they aren't killed, they are left with life-changing injuries and face amputations without anaesthesia. (1/3)
What does a 15 min walk mean? who is taking the child? My son is 11 - the park is a 10 min walk from us - and he can now go but it's only been the past year or so. And it would be a lot better if he could play much closer to home.
A 15-min walk is (almost) meaningless without taking road danger & social safety into account. It’s also too far for most children younger than ~12 to access without adults. If we want children to play, run around, see “nature”, we must focus on doorsteps.
We have an education system where children are put through a 'failure' experience before they get the support they need - the whole EHCP system is set up so you can only get one if you show the child is failing - put proper funding into schools so children thrive from the start.
How can this be described as an inclusive ed system?New
@EduPolicyInstPupils
research says pupils suspended 10 times are 3 times as likely to be SEND as pupils suspended once. Pupils suspended 10 times are 15 times as likely to end up in an AP.
'six-week holidays inevitably require more organisation, absence, guilt and favours than they did 30 years ago. ' indeed - there is too much focus on over protective parents and not enough on the changes in society that have eroded kids freedom.