The problem

Playing out – the freedom to go out the front door and play in the street or near home – is no longer a normal part of most children’s lives, as it used to be.

Children’s time spent outdoors, outdoor play, ‘roaming range’ and independent mobility have all drastically reduced over a few decades. Instead, children are spending far more time indoors, isolated and inactive, missing out on the all the benefits that come from playing out: everyday physical activity, learning and skills, friendship, independence, a sense of belonging in their communities – and fun!

Worsening inequality

For many children, organised clubs, classes and activities have taken the place of free outdoor play. But these things can only partly compensate and often require money, transport and adult time/supervision, meaning not all children can access them. For these reasons, freedom to play out in the community is a social justice issue for children.

Impact on children

This loss of outdoor freedom has contributed hugely to the current state of children’s physical and mental health. Over half of all children do not get the basic hour per day of physical activity they need to be healthy and well and 1/3 leave primary school overweight or obese. Children’s mental health is also at crisis point. Not surprisingly given the above (and other factors) children from the poorest backgrounds are far more impacted.

This should be a cause of huge concern. Policy to address the child health crisis and related inequalities has focussed on food, organised sport, education and provision of services. But the problems are getting worse, not better – the policy is not working.

Why have children lost freedom?

The reasons behind the decline in children’s outdoor freedom are complex but they can be boiled down to big changes in two main areas that you can read more about here:  the outdoor environment and social norms. As we know, screens have more than filled the gap. But if we also focus on change in these two areas, we can help children play out again – and be less on screens.

Changing things

The aim of play streets and the whole Playing Out movement is to break this vicious circle and restore playing out as a normal part of children’s lives. There are also many other ways that parents and individuals can take action to help push back and change things for children.

Government, councils and people who design and build our cities and neighbourhoods also have a very important role to play in making our streets safer and putting children’s needs at the heart of planning and decision-making. Housing providers can also have a huge positive impact on children’s lives by developing and implementing pro-play policies that ensure children are able to play out where they live.

Tackling the root of the problem, including restoring children’s everyday freedom, could go a long way to ensuring all children, regardless of background or circumstance, get what they need to be happy and healthy.

It is in all our interests as a society to restore children’s freedom to play out near home. And this is more about policy change and vision than it is about big spending. In short, it could be a game changer for children’s health and happiness, with the right understanding and political will.