Impact of play streets

How play streets benefit children and communities and bring about long-term change

A growing national movement

Since Playing Out began supporting residents to organise play streets where they live:

• Over 1,650 street communities have ‘played out’ in 100+ different local authority areas across the UK (Aug 2024)
• Most of these streets have at least 12 sessions a year
• Around 50,000 children and 25,000 adults have been directly involved on their street*
• Over 100 councils are now actively supporting the playing out model with specific street play policies

*How we get our numbers. 

This is just what we’ve managed to record. We’re also hearing that much more informal playing out is happening in streets and spaces across the UK because parents, residents and professionals are starting to think differently. Here’s the deeper impact taking place each time residents open their front doors to meet, play and use the immediate space in a shared way: