London Play: Creating a play-friendly city

One aspect that is talked about less is a child’s opportunity to play. Play is a vital part of childhood development, giving children space to be creative, to learn and to boost their happiness and health. So important is play that it’s even enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

But households on lower incomes are much less likely to have spaces where children can play. These households are much less likely to have a garden, and rely on public play spaces. And many live in housing estates, which often lack safe, accessible community play spaces.

Research from London Play found that many of London’s “saddest” playgrounds are hidden inside housing estates, where too often, 'no ball games' signs stand in communal spaces that could and should be vibrant places for children to gather and play.

Our Space to Play

London Play is working to change this. Using our funding, its Our Space to Play project will build a body of research and evidence of how London’s major housing providers approach play spaces, and use this to inform campaigns across the city.

It will also work with residents in estates, focusing on some of London’s most deprived areas, to change approaches to play on housing estates.

Ultimately, it aims to improve daily life for children and families and push housing providers to see communal play as an essential part of good-quality housing, influencing local, regional and national policy in the process.

Fiona Sutherland, director of London Play said:

"Every child deserves the freedom to play right outside their front door.

"Thanks to funding from Trust for London, we're working alongside both estate residents and housing providers – equipping communities with the confidence to demand change, while helping providers rethink their approach to make safe, communal play an essential part of every home."