Playing outdoors: What do children do, where and with whom?
There is an increasing interest in outdoor play, both in research and in policy. However, in (re)designing, planning and managing the public space, there is still limited attention for children’s actual playing behaviour.Read moreUK play sector body launches new research projecs
Two new research projects focusing on children’s play opportunities have been launched by the UK’s main play sector trade organisation.Read more
Project addresses conflict through child’s play in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland’s chief body for developing children and young people’s play opportunities, has published a new animation film intended to help both professionals and young people.Read more
‘Playing Out’ movement goes from strength to strength
The ‘Playing Out’ movement which sees communities closing their streets to traffic and is continuing to grow has scheduled another online forum for professionals.Read more
Children have their online say on design of Belgian city playground
A digital platform popular with children for creating ‘virtual’ worlds’ is being employed by a Belgian city to redesign a playground.Read more
‘Urgent need’ to implement changes to play infrastructure in Wales – report
A report on play services in Wales says there is an ‘urgent need’ to deliver key changes like promoting school grounds as community assets and having adequate safeguarding in place.Read moreWelsh Play Workforce Study 2021
The play workforce in Wales is examined in detail in the newly-published Welsh Play Workforce Study 2021.Read more
Pre-school play with friends reduces risk of mental health in later years – study
Researchers say that children who learn to play well with others at pre-school age tend to enjoy better mental health as they get older. A new study by the University of Cambridge claims that they have...Read moreChildren who ‘take risks’ and play adventurously have better mental health – study
Children who spend more time playing adventurously have lower symptoms of anxiety and depression, and were happier over the first Covid-19 lockdown, according to new research. A study led by the University of Exeter asked parents...Read moreFour reasons why children need to be more active in school playgrounds, and what’s stopping them
School breaktimes might be assumed to be the most active period in a child’s school day. The fanciful notion that when the school ‘bell’ rings children flood the playground, running, jumping and actively playing with...Read morePlay Wales – publications for professionals
Play Wales, the national body for children’s play, has this year published a wide variety of guides and resources to help professionals working in and around the children’s play sector.Read more
Play Wales: Weighing up risks and benefits in children’s play
Play Wales has published a new information sheet aimed at helping children’s play organisers take the right approach in decision-making over play infrastructure.Read more
Outdoor play in Canada ‘should continue beyond the COVID pandemic’
An important incidental change that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic has been our collective rediscovery of the outdoors. As we begin building back better, we have an opportunity to leverage this re-engagement to enhance our...Read more
Australia: ‘Children need playgrounds now, more than ever. We can reduce COVID risk and keep them open’
It’s been a tough 18 months for Australian families and their children. We can’t underestimate the cumulative impact of parent and carer job losses, mental strain, working from home and remote learning. As developmental paediatricians...Read more