What’s critically missing for children? 

We started Playing Out as parent-activists who felt something had fundamentally gone wrong with childhood. This was 15 years ago – before the massive impact of digital technology in children’s lives – and yet already it was clear that children (our own children, all children) had lost something vital: the freedom to go outside and play together. As kids growing up in the 1970s, we had taken this freedom for granted, yet it had given us so much of what we needed to be happy and healthy. 

Over a generation, the outside environment had become more hostile to children and something had shifted in our culture: it was just no longer normal for children to play out independently. Children had lost the everyday physical activity, social contact and free play they need. Children with the least had lost the most. There is no question that this enormous loss of freedom and outdoor play has fed into the growing physical and mental health crises children face today.

A parent-led movement 

Whilst the rise of smartphones has undoubtably added another element to the mix, children had already largely lost their freedom to play outside before digital technology came along to fill the space as an extremely poor substitute for real-life, active, sociable outdoor play and adventure.

In our area, the dominance of cars was clearly the main issue and as a response to this, we came up with the “playing out” model (now known as play streets) – a very simple, low-cost, neighbour-led creative and practical intervention to try and shift the conversation and physically reclaim the space that children had lost. 

Over 15 years, the play street movement has grown across the UK and beyond – thanks to thousands of committed, motivated residents taking action in their own communities, supported by Playing Out centrally and many others locally – adapting to address different situations, including where traffic is not the main barrier to children playing out on their doorstep. Through this, play streets have reached a broad demographic across hundreds of streets/estates, bringing deep impact to communities and attention to the wider issues. The model, though temporary, has shown some simple, important truths:

1.     Children still want to play out, with friends, in real life.

2.     When they have this opportunity, they choose it over screens

3.     Parents also want this for their children – and themselves!

4.     The conditions needed are simply: safe (traffic-free) shared doorstep space, permission to use it, community & (ideally) other children to play with

5.     When children have the opportunity to play freely close to home, they are very active!

6.     The wider benefits of playing out are huge – for children and everyone else

The need for bigger change

Play streets / playing out sessions are great – but they are not enough. It’s hard work for neighbours to organise and sustain sessions – especially where barriers are greater – and only gives some children a taste of what should be a normal, everyday part of life for all children. For that, we need policy to create the right physical conditions and a massive culture-shift.

The play street movement has shown what’s possible (streets and estates where children can and do play out freely), what’s needed (policy to create the right conditions, including removing traffic danger and opening up spaces) and what huge benefits could be gained (happy, healthy children & stronger communities). We’ve done what we can as parents, community activists and campaigners: now we need Government to respond. Playing Out’s policy manifesto for restoring children’s freedom is here and we are ready to talk to ministers! 

“Playing Out’s manifesto calls for bold action to improve the lives and life chances of the nation’s children” – Tim Gill.

A Gift for Government

The recent UK parliamentary inquiry into children, young people and the built environment was an important chance to raise these issues and show Government what could be gained through restoring children’s freedom and outdoor play. And, although it was halted due to the election, the body of evidence gathered from over 130 experts – from across architecture, planning, streets, health, psychology and children’s rights – makes a compelling case for putting children’s needs at the heart of built environment policy-making. 

Our allies at TCPA are now writing up the inquiry evidence into a report that we will jointly present to the new Government. We will also be coordinating responses to the recently proposed changes to the national planning policy framework – a huge opportunity to ensure the vast numbers of new homes to be built will be places children can play out together.

The parliamentary inquiry evidence will also be taken into account in the new national Play Commission, led by Paul Lindley (Raising the Nation) in partnership with Anne Longfield and the Centre for Young Lives. At the recent launch, previous Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield said :  “What could be more important than creating places where children can thrive?”. Playing Out co-founder Ingrid Skeels is a Commissioner on this important year-long process to ‘develop a national play plan to shape future government policy’, and the call for evidence is now open to all.

Restoring children’s freedom to play out where they live is a gift of a guiding principle for this Government to inform policy-making across departments. A low/no cost way to maximise the positive impact of their ambitious plans for housing, streets and communities and begin to fundamentally address the seemingly insurmountable ongoing crisis in children’s health and wellbeing. There is nothing to be lost and so much to be gained – for children and for us all.