New London Plan aims for more play and mobility for children
The draft of the new London Plan, the long-term spatial development strategy for the UK capital, published yesterday for public consultation, includes a revised policy for children’s play and informal recreation. Adrian Voce reports. The new...Read more
Why children’s play should be a policy priority
In the first part of this adaptation of his keynote presentation to the recent Child in the City International Seminar in London, Adrian Voce recalls the work of Dr. Stuart Lester (1951-2017) and his colleague,...Read more
A new beginning for playwork?
The world’s only professor of playwork, Fraser Brown of Leeds Beckett University, welcomed the launch of the new Playwork Foundation at a special event in London last week. Adrian Voce, who also spoke at the...Read more
Raising awareness the key to investment in play
Like so many parts of the public and voluntary sectors, children’s play services – in the UK and elsewhere – have endured severe funding cuts over the decade since the financial crash. In this interview with...Read more
Defending the right to play – through research, policy and design
Anticipating our international seminar on children’s play in the urban environment, which starts on Monday 6 November, keynote speaker Dr. Sukanya Krishnamurthy talks about the importance of interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration for spatial planning to become more...Read more
Why US playgrounds must emulate the UK and Europe
Meghan Talarowski is the founder and director of Studio Ludo, a non-profit research, design and advocacy company in Philadelphia, USA. Ahead of next week’s Child in the City international seminar on children’s play in the urban...Read more
IPA conference highlights play sector challenges
In the second part of this reflection on themes of the IPA world conference in Calgary, Robin Sutcliffe identifies funding cuts and parental anxiety as major obstacles to the aspirations of play advocates, leaving providers...Read more
A disconnect between advocacy and provision for play
The International Play Association conference in Calgary provided Robin Sutcliffe with an opportunity to reflect, a process which gave rise to some concerns. In the first of this two part-article, he suggests that the ‘movers...Read more
Look back in play – part 1
Uncovering a stash of unseen photographs took landscape architect Maisie Rowe back to her childhood – and forward to a meditation on the importance of spaces for play. Over four parts, she tells the story...Read more
These child obesity solutions wouldn’t be acceptable for zoo animals
Instead of penning them in and shrinking pizzas, let children play outside with their friends – and not just for the exercise – says children’s play expert Rob Wheway. Obesity is an environmental issue, not a...Read more
Salzburg group calls for urgent action on children and nature in cities
An international coalition of environmentalists and urbanists has published a call for action ‘to prioritize children’s needs for their optimal health and development by creating liveable cities that enhance their wellbeing and integrate nature’ into...Read more
Children’s play is not a springboard, it is the water
In this second part of his comment piece about a national project to ‘use play as a springboard into sport’, Adrian Voce suggests that policymakers would serve children better, including the desired aim of increasing...Read more
For children, playing is the adventure
A new pilot project in England, funded by the government sponsored national sports agency, aims to use ‘play as a springboard into sport’. In this first of a two-part blog, Adrian Voce explains why such...Read more
Are smart phones really the death of children’s play?
Many of the current conversations on children’s use of mobile phones sound dire warnings, even foretelling the ‘death of childhood’ itself. However, argues playworker and geographer Chris Martin, different standpoints can contribute alternative, more complex perspectives,...Read more