How practitioners and advocates can support play streets

In this guest column, Lucy Colbeck of Playing Out suggests that supporting parent-residents to organise street play sessions can be an important role for play associations and other play advocacy groups.

We all know just how much children need to play together now after such a challenging year of isolation. Play streets create a space for that right on their doorstep, enabling them to feel part of their communities while developing their social, physical and emotional skills and well-being.

Play streets are low-key, regular street closures for the simple purpose of allowing children to play freely in a safe space, free from cars. They offer public space, right on their street, for children to meet, play, cycle, scoot and develop relationships with other children of all ages. Parents remain responsible for their children and can chat over a cup of tea while they play, building community and neighbourliness at the same time.

Play streets are very low cost, simple and sustainable. They help to grow a culture of children’s visibility and play into the popular concept of residential streets – where they belong.

Play streets are resident-led and organised and this is very important for the social benefits they bring, as well as the sustainability and low-cost nature of it. Parents (typically of young children) and residents across all demographics are driven to take this action for a whole range of reasons. With guidance from Playing out, they consult their neighbours, apply to the council for permission, recruit volunteer stewards and maintain the road closure on the day.

“Playworkers can bring their knowledge and skills in facilitating free play to the play street sessions, as well as supporting the adult volunteers to maintain the safety of the space”.

However, many residents will need some additional support and reassurance to get started. Others will need more in-depth support, especially in areas of disadvantage where people may have different starting points for approaching play streets, such as low confidence, limited time, poor 'social capital' or simply insufficient life experience for this type of proactive engagement. This is where play associations and other play advocacy groups can come in.

Play associations have supported residents to organise play streets in different parts of the country such as in Hackney, where play streets are an important part of what the Hackney Play Association offers, particularly in the more disadvantaged areas of their borough. They’ve had fantastic success supporting residents of over 60 streets and estates. Playworkers can bring their knowledge and skills in facilitating free play to the play street sessions, as well as supporting the adult volunteers to maintain the safety of the space.

Playing Out wants to encourage play associations to embrace the resident-led street play model and has created a free webinar to help make it happen. Please join us!

Lucy Colbeck
Playing Out

lucy@playingout.net

To find out what’s happening in your council area, visit Playing Out’s play streets map