Play Streets!
A look at what they are and how they might benefit your street
Not so long ago, maybe 40 years, children where playing out in the street and were part of what we saw every day. Games like gutters, kick the can and knock door run were made up around that specific environment using the street furniture as part of the play process and parents always knew if there had been trouble even before you got back home. I know it sounds sentimental and perhaps it is, but those days are gone, the prevalence of the car and heightened concerns about safety have made it all but impossible.
Children are spending less time outdoors than ever before and for those children unable to go to ‘destination parks’ that time is eroded even further. Being able to play in your own neighbourhood is part of growing up in and connecting to your community, in turn knowing your community and feeling safe within it.
Play streets allows for your street to be closed to traffic for a specified amount of time on a specific day, children and families can meet, play, chat, share and get to know each other. Street play gives children the chance to play freely and bring communities together. When we ask parents about the barriers to letting their children play out they often say because we don’t know who is living around here.
People can be a bit worried at first about the thought of street play but once they experience it and see children playing talking making up games in the street with their neighbours it becomes a joyous thing and we could all do with a bit of that.
Play streets is an attempt to recreate a lost opportunity in way that is practical and sustainable. That is because you don’t need anything except the willingness to get involved. Many Local
authorities including Sandwell MBC have policies and procedures in place to ensure that you can organise this for your own community and several have done so already with great success.
If you would like more information and what to do next about closing your street for playing contact tracey_jobber@sandwell.gov.uk
#playstreet #outdoorplay #residentstogether #letthemplay
Tracey Jobber
Senior Play Development Officer - SMBC Go Play Sandwell
