Rethinking Childhood

14/10/2024

PlayNation, in partnership with Play England and SAPCA (the Sports And Play Construction Association), is dedicated exclusively to the dynamic and growing sector of play and physical activity for children and young people. Published bi-monthly, the magazine focuses on the policies, people and places...

07/08/2024

In these turbulent, divisive times, it’s good to take a moment to remind ourselves of some basic truths about what connects us all as human beings. One is that the young of our species need and want to play. This was true back in the 1980s when Playday was launched by a handful of dedicated London playworkers. It is still true today. Happy everyone!

Building a brighter culture of play for children and young people 07/08/2024 Play, Policy Playday is the national day for play, traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August. As well as an annual celebration of children’s right to play, Playday is a campaign that highlights the importance of...

02/08/2024

Another plug for this evening of films on at the Barbican Centre next Thurs. Top tip: you can ‘pay what you want’ to add a visit to the superb Francis Alÿs exhibition, if you go at 5pm or later on that day.

A trio of films on childhood which form a dialogue with the documentary project Children’s Games, curated in response to our Francis Alÿs: Ricochets exhibition.

10/07/2024

This shocking map reveals how at the dawn of the motor age, staggering numbers of child road deaths led to the movement for urban playgrounds. As a result, children lost all claim to freedom of movement, parents were blamed for not supervising their children, and cars quickly conquered city streets. Hat tip to Peter Norton whose book Fighting Traffic is essential reading.

20/06/2024

Caution: this set of photos may trigger complex, unresolved emotions from childhood. Images include children playing in and near water, in streets, with animals, near and on cars, on self-built and non-standard structures, and outside designated play areas. Also note: kids today still play out, where the conditions allow.

Tamsyn Warde explores spaces in which children play in Hampshire, UK, examining how and where they play and where play belongs in their lives

19/06/2024

As one of the commissioners on this, I strongly urge anyone concerned about hashtag to respond to its call for evidence. It is our best chance to build a compelling case for the incoming Westminster government. Deadline: 30 Sept - but why not start thinking and working on your submission now? And for the avoidance of doubt: teens play too, even if they rarely talk in those terms. Please share far and wide.

The Play Commission is gathering evidence and expertise to inform the policy recommendations that we make in our final report. We are calling for organisations and individuals with professional expertise or lived experience to share their knowledge and views by submitting evidence to our commission.

17/06/2024

For decades, free play has been squeezed out of children's daily lives. My work focuses one dimension: *space* to play. This brilliant article shines a light on another: *time* to play. As Jonathan Haidt argues, a generation are left struggling.

Shorter playtimes and shrinking outside space in England have serious implications for children’s wellbeing and mental health

30/04/2024

"When we calculate who is served by our transportation system, we don’t pay attention to children." Great 10-min showreel for Paris's transformative programme. 180 streets and counting!

For many years now advocates and communities around the world have been focussed on Paris School Streets not only because they make streets safer on those bl...

29/04/2024

"Not all teens love to skate or play organized sports, and both activities have traditionally been male-dominated. Swings, shady seating areas and teen-scaled play equipment are all ways to make outdoor activities have broader appeal." This Philly park shows the way. One of my favourite design critics meets one of my favourite designers in this terrific piece. Thank you Alexandra Lange and Meghan Talarowski! https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-us-playgrounds-mega-swings/?

New parks in Philadelphia, Memphis and Tulsa show that the key to making playgrounds fun for all ages is designing them for teenagers.

26/04/2024

This exhibition is well worth a Summer trip to London for. A compelling, engrossing document of global culture. I saw the Brussels version, and was blown away. www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2024/event/francis-alys-ricochets

24/04/2024

This is an absolute gem from 1979. Colin Ward is peerless: sharing insights, showing warmth, generosity and humanity, and wearing his expertise lightly as he flies the flag for Britain's post-war New Towns. These are largely ignored (if not sneered at) today. But as Ward shows, they were amongst the most ambitious, comprehensive examples of town- and city-building seen anywhere. And a concern for the quality of life of children and families was central to their vision.

Colin Ward sets out to discover the truth about Britain's New Towns. (1979)

20/02/2024

"When it comes to municipal action, people matter as much as policies." A key insight from my trips to cities that take planning seriously. Thanks to Cities4Children for publishing this piece.

With growing worldwide interest in making cities more child-friendly, what approaches can municipalities take? Tim Gill sets out three models for local governments and explores the pros and cons of each.