Nursery World - Outdoor play is in demand

Local authorities must do more to support children's access to outdoor free play, the organisers of this year's national Playday event said last week. In a survey commissioned for this year's Playday theme, 'Fit for Play', the Children's Play Council and the Children's Society found that 40 per cent of children aged seven to 14 wanted to spend more time playing outdoors.

In a survey commissioned for this year's Playday theme, 'Fit for Play', the Children's Play Council and the Children's Society found that 40 per cent of children aged seven to 14 wanted to spend more time playing outdoors.

Of the 670 children questioned, 96 per cent said that they would play outside more depending on certain conditions - if there were better places to play, more play places, more to do, or if it was safer. Only 2 per cent said they didn't want to play outdoors more.

Adrian Voce, director of the Children's Play Council, said, 'We know that one of the most effective and the most natural form of exercise for children is active play. What children are telling us in this survey should make us all think about how to improve the environments where children live so they can enjoy the healthy childhood that is their right.'

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