When I was younger, this was my playground....
Listerdale and Black Carr woods to the east of Rotherham. We roamed the woods between Wickersley, Dalton Magna and the Brecks for hours at a time, on foot or on bikes. We scaled the quarry walls, braved "the sledging hill", and ranged for miles....
Image produced from Ordnance Survey's Get-a-map service.Image reproduced with permission of Ordnance Survey and
Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
Image by Alan Parkinson
My kids are out in the garden on their new trampoline... They have to, I've locked the door so they can't come back in... *
They are enjoying it, and are making a bit of noise...
Play England carried out some research on attitudes to children's play and discovered some interesting things:
“47% of adults think it is unsafe for children to play out without supervision, and that 1 in 3 (37%) parents are concerned they will be judged by their neighbours if they let their children play out unsupervised.
“47% of adults think it is unsafe for children to play out without supervision, and that 1 in 3 (37%) parents are concerned they will be judged by their neighbours if they let their children play out unsupervised.
Over a quarter of children (28%) say that, when they are playing, adults tend to think they’re up to no good and more than half (55%) of parents worry that the noise of their children playing outside will
upset their neighbours.
Over a quarter of children (28%) say that, when they are playing, adults tend to think they’re up to no good and more than half (55%) of parents worry that the noise of their children playing outside will
upset their neighbours.
In reality 81% of adults believe children playing outside helps to improve community spirit. 70% think that it makes an area more desirable to live in.”
In reality 81% of adults believe children playing outside helps to improve community spirit. 70% think that it makes an area more desirable to live in.”
That's the background to a new initiative by the Geography Collective.
The LOVE OUTDOOR PLAY initiative, which will launch this week explores perceptions of children and play...
Our manifesto reads:
“Having the freedom to play outdoors improves the well-being of children and their communities.
Together, we are building a visible community to support reasonably safe exploration, adventure and play.
Wherever you see a Love Outdoor Play sticker, you’ll find people who welcome play and are looking out for young people.”
We are being backed by some wonderful people who are supporting the initiative already, including authors of a number of seminal books on attitudes to children's play and the limits that are often imposed on it.
Readers in the South Yorkshire area should also make sure that they buy a copy of "The Star"
in Sheffield tomorrow (Thursday) as there is an interview with me, about Mission:Explore, the GA, and exploring outdoor spaces....
OK, got to go and shout at my kids now as they're making too much noise *
* = only joking....
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