Wendy Russell

Playthings and Playtimes Explore the concept of play through diverse cultural lenses, from toys to local practices that shape the experience of play.

Oh wow, can't wait to read this! I loved the Francis Alys exhibition. Open access too. Now all I need is some time ...
uclpress.co.uk/book/playthi...

Restoring children's freedom to play out: let's seize the moment Society is waking up to children's right and need to play out; councils and orgs around the UK are taking action, come and get inspired !

Please do sign up for - and share - this webinar, on Dec 3rd, to hear about some of the amazing work going on nationally and locally to restore children's ability to play out on their doorsteps.

@rezinachowdhury.bsky.social @edwardlamb.bsky.social @playingout.bsky.social @aliceferguson.bsky.social

The Geographical Journal | RGS Research Journal | Wiley Online Library This paper analyses the changing geographies of ethnic diversity and segregation in England and Wales using Census data covering the last 30 years (1991–2021). Residential segregation of all ethnic g...

If you're interested in understanding segregation and integration better, here is a good paper by the UK's leading academics on the topic

rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Great thread here from @alisonstenning.bsky.social on the case for paying attention to children's capability to play during #Covid19 lockdowns, including a couple of articles we wrote based on our research. So pleased @aliceferguson.bsky.social gave evidence on this to the Covid Inquiry

🚨 We’re Recruiting: Independent Chair, Senior Independent Director & Independent Director 🚨

Help lead our bold, new 10-year strategy #ItAllStartsWithPlay!

Find out more & apply by 23 Oct 👉 www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/wer...

#IndependentDirectors #Chair #Trustee #CharityLeadership

The parallels are fascinating. There are different issues with the digital world & digital play, as there are with public space & designated play spaces. But I'd say the profit motive affects all four as do (linked) narratives of fear (sometimes valid in complex ways).

Thank you @bsky.app for the bookmarking option!!

What do you see as the barriers?

Happy reading. I'd love to know what you think.

The swinging children appears again as an illustration to a piece about child poverty -

This is an inteesting study, thanks. While the authors differentiate 'physical activity' and PE, much of the focus is on PE. There is a lot that can be done looking at how the school supports play during breaks.
outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk
@opal-cic.bsky.social

🚨New Research 🚨

Ahead of the release of Wave 30 of the BES Internet Panel, the team has examined Labour's decline since the 2024 GE.

Labour's support has splintered into mostly indecision or left-liberal parties, but they've also lost their few right-wing voters.

🧵⬇️

tinyurl.com/3m62exph

Thanks for this overview, it's useful. I get this is an analysis of *main* policy areas, but there's a lot missing from this contents list that can feed into the *main* issues, particularly in terms of children's and families' lives, health and wellbeing. #SocialInfrastructure #SpatialJustice

Third of children do not play outdoors after school, UK research finds Study finds outdoor play has positive effect on children’s social and emotional skills

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Interesting read. But we need to think further upstream from MH services. The decline in children's mental health over the last decade coincides with the decimation of play and youth services. If we're really looking at multiple approaches to prevention, let's fund them

Outcomes & Systems: From Predicted Goods to Emergent Cohesion Critical summary – the single through‑line of the essay

"It is no longer viable—or even desirable—to manage by prescribing fixed end‑states...What matters instead is cultivating the conditions under which coherent, desirable futures can emerge from within the system itself".
substack.com/inbox/post/1...

Sign the Petition Protect Allotment Lands from Council Sales

chng.it/7nz9xv5NBy

Totally agree with this - creating conditions for safe active travel is a political endeavour and includes challenging the power of the road and car industries, including the myth of EVs role in reaching net zero

We've created a detailed list of 139 films on childhood, which can be used for teaching these subjects:

www.qmul.ac.uk/clpn/media/c...

Thank you

Do you know why he wanted it zapped?

Yes. Let's hope it gets through this time.

... which means thinking about traffic infrastructure (where moving and parked cars go, public transport...) and the ways all ages move through public space.

Amendment 179 to Planning and Infrastructure Bill to Planning and Infrastructure Bill - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle's amendment After Clause 52 (179) to Planning and Infrastructure Bill, proposed during Committee stage

Thank you @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social ‪and @playengland.bsky.social for reintroducing this play sufficiency amendment. This is much more than (important) designated play provision, it's about making neighbourhoods and town centres play friendly
bills.parliament.uk/bills/3946/s...

Ludocene game-finder run with Stretchmancer current suggestion.

Ludocene game-finder run with PinOut current suggestion.

Ludocene game-finder run with Frog Detective current suggestion.

Ludocene game-finder run with Hyperbolica current suggestion.

DEEP BREATH: 5 years of meticulously researched game data culminate for us on National Play Day, Weds 6th Aug.

🤯We realised game discovery was broken.
🧪We made a prototype game-finder.
🎯We Kickstartered it into reality.
🥘We cooked with our backers.
🚀We launch Ludocene.com into the world on 6th Aug.

I'm looking forward to reading this, whay a treat - an open access too! Thank you to all involved

‘Understand More What We Do’: Investigating Children’s Perspectives of Play through a Co-Constructed Review of the Literature - Child Indicators Research Play is an essential part of children’s lives and fundamental in supporting children’s quality of life and wellbeing yet it is typically defined from adults’ perspectives. The main aims of this study ...

Thoughtful review of children’s perceptions on play, discussing results from a lit review with them & also researching with them on their own perceptions. Children "hesitated to pin down character­istics of play" seeing it as fluid. Lovely stuff
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

APPG on Play — Play England APPG on Play: Working in Parliament to Champion All Children’s Right to Play

Well done @playengland.bsky.social on getting this #APPGonPlay up and running! Looking forward to hearing more.
www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/app...

New paper from Mike Barclay, Ben Tawil and me on a Relational Capability Approach to playing and being well. Our proposed framework rests on social and spatial justice for children. Part of a SI on papers from IPA Glasgow conference. First 50 copies free from www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SVBVD...

New paper from Mike Barclay, Ben Tawil and me on a Relational Capability Approach to playing and being well. Our proposed framework rests on social and spatial justice for children. Part of a SI on papers from IPA Glasgow conference. First 50 copies free from www.tandfonline.com/eprint/SVBVD...