What are play streets?

Play streets (or ‘playing out’ sessions) are neighbour-led short road closures, creating a safe space for children to play freely together on their doorstep. On high-rise estates, you may not even need to close the road!

Play streets typically allow children to play freely, without organised games or activities*. In practice, this means children cycle, scoot, skate, chalk, skip, hopscotch, kick a ball around and make up games. They are joyous and active!

This model was first developed by parents (co-founders of Playing Out) on one street in Bristol in 2009 and has now been taken up by hundreds of street communities all over the UK – and beyond– supported by councils and local organisations.

Watch our short clips of Things that happen on a play street!

The key features of this model are:

• Resident-led and organised
• Short, regular road closures
• Free, child-led play
• All neighbours consulted and included
• Road legally and safely closed to through traffic
• Stewarded by residents
• Car access at walking pace
• Simple, ‘normal’ – not a street party!

How it works

To see play streets in action, you can watch these two brilliant short films from our friends in Leeds and Hackney:

Play streets in Leeds (4mins)

Hackney play streets (3mins)

With council permission and general consensus from neighbours, residents legally close the road to through-traffic, using ‘Road Closed’ signs and cones, or other barriers such as wheelie-bins. Residents still have vehicle access and can leave their cars parked on the road. Volunteer stewards (usually residents) stand at each end of the street and walk in front of any moving vehicles to keep it safe.

You can find out all about how to do this on your own street in 4 simple steps and join our Facebook group to link up with other parents, residents and activators.

Councils can put a ‘play street policy’ in place, allowing residents to apply for a regular – weekly, monthly, or even daily – play street session. Bristol City Council was the first to do this in the UK (in 2011). Since then, many others have done the same, seeing the benefits for children and communities.

What do they do?

Play streets give children a chance to play, be active and make friends on their street, whilst also building community and encouraging active citizenship. As well as these immediate benefits, they can help to bring about a longer-term culture-change, where streets are safer and friendlier and it is more normal for children to play out. Read more about the impact of play streets here. Read our blog with some words to inspire from parents and residents.

Join the playing out movement and get support

There is a huge network of parents, residents, councils, community organisations and activators who are organising, supporting, enabling and growing play streets. You can get connected with them, and join this movement in various ways. To find out how, check out our support for play streets page. Here you’ll find forums, different ways to ask questions and get friendly advice and support.

Previously we ran regular training and webinars on play streets aimed at parents, activists, councils and community organisations – check out the recordings here.