Children and young people
Parks and playgrounds provide an opportunity for adventurous play so vital in these days of computer games, junk food diets and childhood obesity. They allow children to test their boundaries, explore and learn about nature and wildlife. Click on a link to find out more....
Did you know
- Having a good play area was the reason that 14% of adults used a particular park most often, second only to the park being close to home (63%).
The Use of Public Parks in England, Sport England (2003)
- If present trends continue it is estimated that half of the UK’s children could be obese by 2020.
Economic and Social Research Centre (2006)
- 71% of young people said they would do up to four hours of activities in their spare time if they had the opportunity.
Youth Matters: Next Steps, Department for Education and Skills (2006)
- 60% of young people would get involved in the community if it was recognised in some way.
Youth Matters: Next Steps, Department for Education and Skills (2006)
- Children and young people should achieve a total of at least 60 minutes of at least moderate physical activity each day.
Issy Cole Hamilton, Children’s Play Council: Play and Health Fact-sheet (2006)
- Children with Attention Deficit Disorder have better levels of concentration when exposed to nature.
Taylor AF, Kuo FE and Sullivan WC, Coping with ADD: the surprising connection to green play settings (2001)
Research
Youth Matters: Next Steps
Department for Education and SkillsNo particular place to go
A overview of government initiatives regarding children's and young people's needKen Warpole, Groundwork, 2003
National School Grounds Survey 2003 Survey
Learning through LandscapesPlay and Health Factsheet
Issy Cole-Hamilton, Children’s Play CouncilIn Praise of Playgrounds
Andy Furze May 2006Case studies
Falsgrave Park Community Project
A case study of community involvement in a park’s regenerationPlaying Together
A look at two inclusive play schemesSpace&Places,Dec 2005
Articles
Leaping into action
LEAP is an initiative to encourage exercise, jointly funded by the Department of Health, the Countryside Agency and Sport England. Local Exercise Action Pilots are locally run pilot programmes to test and evaluate new ways of encouraging people to take up more physical activity.A walk in the park
A look at how parks and green spaces can be used to improve healthBecky Volker, Feb 2005, Spaces&Places
Healthy Parks, Healthy People
A case study about a program to encourage participation in green spaceJacqui deKievit, Feb 2005, Spaces&Places
Quotes
"The local park has always been an important resource for children's play. But children and their families need the whole park to be child friendly, not just designated play areas."Adrian Voce, Director, Children's Play Council and Play England
"Children and young people being seen and heard in public spaces is one of the hallmarks of a vital society. The best parks and open spaces offer young people space and time to experience a shared public realm, unencumbered by the ministrations of supervising adults."
Bernard Spiegal, Principal, Playlink.
"The local park has always been an important resource for children's play. But children and their families need the whole park to be child friendly, not just designated play areas."