Ensure children can play outside independently
Urban transport policies and residential design need to respect outdoor play as a vital necessity for children, says Ellen Weaver
In the brilliant Swiss research cited by Lenore Skenazy (If you want your kids to thrive this summer, don’t just turn off their phones – open your front door, too,15 July), young children playing unsupervised was culturally accepted and normal. The children in the Swiss study who did not play outside independently were prevented from doing so by traffic
Yes, we need to relieve Health“>health“>parents of the horrendous pressure of cultural expectation that children will always be supervised, but parents can’t open their doors for children to go out and play in traffic. Urban transport policies and residential design need to respect outdoor play as a vital necessity for children
The Swiss research proved that playgrounds don’t meet children’s needs for play. In the study, the parents of children who couldn’t play out where they lived frequently took them to playgrounds. Nevertheless, those children were significantly limited in their personal confidence, cognitive development, social abilities, and fine and gross motor skills, compared with children who played out by their homes, where the amount and quality of play was far greater.
You recently reported that UK children will be one of unhealthiest generations in decades. In much of the rest of Europe, it is still normal for children to go places without an adult taking them. Children meet up with friends to play in public spaces without anyone calling the police – no wonder they’re much more active, confident and healthy. The consequences are disastrous and enormously costly when we prevent children from access to sufficient free play and independence.
Tech companies must be made to end harmful, addictive content, but we shouldn’t be surprised that children play virtually when so often they cannot actually play where they live. Andy Burnham should join the dots, take play seriously and appoint a minister for children.Ellen WeaverHartland, Devon
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