Playing Out

All but forgotten, but reincarnated in a different form by @playingout.bsky.social and allies across the country, such that, between 2010 and 2024, over 1,650 street communities organised regular, temporary play streets in 100+ different local authority areas across the UK.

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
— George Orwell, 1984

Don’t bulldoze our pitch URGENT: Children in Bethlehem are about to lose the only place where they can play and feel safe. Help them reach FIFA before Israel destroys their pitch. Sign and share.

Please sign and share. @playengland.bsky.social @playscotland.bsky.social @playwales.bsky.social
secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/...

This will be a fabulous celebration of @playingout.bsky.social and all its allies, plotting next steps in the movement to reclaim children’s freedom to play out and move around safely and happily on their doorsteps and in their neighbourhoods.

Join us!

@timrgill.bsky.social @alisonstenning.bsky.social @adfreecities.bsky.social @solveschoolrun.bsky.social @mumsforlungs.bsky.social @cleancitiescampaign.org @playengland.bsky.social @playwales.bsky.social @playscotland.bsky.social @salawatson.bsky.social @sustrans.bsky.social

Celebrating 16yrs of Playing Out! Join us in Bristol as we share learning, look ahead and release this amazing, diverse movement for children's freedom into the world.

Come to Bristol on 12th March! A day-conference bringing together people from across this wide and diverse movement for children's freedom and right to play out near home. Great speakers, lots of discussion. Low-cost and free ticket options! Don't miss it. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebratin...

@playingout.bsky.social children were never asked if they would like to give up their natural playgrounds - the streets - and be cooped up indoors or cooped up in cars

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 !

Tomorrow I'll be talking through the political process we went through on Wirral to get outdoor play on our council Work Programme.

Join the latest @playingout.bsky.social webinar if you can! Lots of other good stuff on the agenda as well 😎😀

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/restoring-...

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 !

Not too late to join our FREE webinar this Wednesday lunchtime! Hear from Cllrs @edwardlamb.bsky.social and @rezinachowdhury.bsky.social on actions councils are taking to restore children's freedom, as well as 'big picture' stuff from us. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/restoring-...

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 !

Let’s seize this moment for children’s outdoor play!
FREE lunchtime webinar, Weds 3 Dec 12.30-1.30pm

Hear from Cllrs @rezinachowdhury.bsky.social and @edwardlamb.bsky.social on the bolder actions councils can take to restore children's outdoor play.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/restoring-...

We also need to make our streets and housing estates safe and welcoming for so the next generation of Lionesses can kick a ball about (not to mention all the other reasons to enable doorstep play!) #MoreBallGames #StartWithPlay

Lots of posts with comments about the proposed two-hour screen limit/curfew for children and young people are popping up in my timeline, all saying the same thing:

Invest in places for C&YP to play and hang out in.

We are so delighted.

This is wonderful news! Exactly what we've been wanting to happen. Enormous gratitude to @edwardlamb.bsky.social and Wirral Council for leading the way for other councils to follow!!

MAKE PLAY HAPPEN THIS SUMMER JOIN THE INITIATIVE ORGANISE A PLAY STREET WHERE YOU LIVE WHO? D7 PLAY STREETS initiative is about giving children some of the experience of unstructured street play that we enjoyed WHAT? PLAY STREETS are simple community- led opportunities for children to play freely and safely on the streets where they live. WHY? IRELAND has the lowest rate of children’s independent mobility in Europe – it’s time we reclaim our streets for play! If you want to see how it works or need support, come join us at any play street this June. Email: d7playstreets@gmail.com and we can let you know if there are others happening in your area

If you live in Dublin and would like to organise a Play Street for your street / area for World Car Free Day, you can read all about the UK experience of how to do it informally here via @playingout.bsky.social: playingout.net/play-streets...

#d7playstreets

Children are an easy target apparently

Children have as much right to their streets as drivers. There is no legal basis for them being shoed off streets. And I have no doubt that cars - moving and parked - cause a nuisance for children.

This is extraordinarily depressing from Manchester City Council.

@playingout.bsky.social

Any organisation that exists to support children cannot remain silent in the face of this genocide. Our Government must end its complicity and take meaningful action against Israel *right now*. #StopKillingChildren

YouTube video by Bristol Cycling Bristol Kidical Mass 2025 (with EN subtitles)

Last weekend in Bristol, children on bikes took over their city centre! They were seen and heard. They had a blast.

But the aim of #KidicalMass is also serious. This is not the everyday norm. Children across the UK need #SafeStreetsNow.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLtA...

4. Neighbourhoods are designed and adapted to be child-friendly. This includes: a. Tackling safety concerns - particularly traffic and crime - through a new strategy to make streets safe for play which prioritises children's independent mobility.

b. A national ban on 'No Ball Games' signs. c. A commitment to ensure all families live within a safe 10-minute walk of a park or green space. d. Local authorities using creative solutions like play rangers, mobile play stations, and toy libraries to bring play to more communities, and opening school playgrounds for use outside of school hours.

Off to the launch of the Play Commission final report this morning - will be absorbing the report and its recommendations on the train, but pleased to see strong arguments for child-friendly neighbourhoods.

@playingout.bsky.social

Today is International Day of Play.

As Ingrid Skeels - @playingout.bsky.social - says below: "we have to make the outside world a place children can play in real life."

Instead of debating road "closures", we should be *opening* our streets so more children can play on the streets where they live.

'Kidical Mass is a joyous celebration and a reminder of what's possible' Bristol's Kidical Mass bike ride takes place on Saturday morning

www.bristol247.com/opinion/your...

Residents of street where cars banned for kids to play say 'make it permanent' The road, near a city primary school, was temporarily closed down to all forms of traffic

I always saying opening a street for play is magical, often not spectacular, but the ordinary magic that Stuart Lester talks about. No wonder those who try it want more.

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midland...

Ladies Mile is a totally unnecessary road cutting across Bristol’s biggest public greenspace - The Downs - making it unsafe for kids. It was closed to cars for the day yesterday and what a change! Let’s make this permanent. @edplowden.bsky.social @robbryher.bsky.social @bristol247.bsky.social

On my way into work this morning I saw this, on a rare “home zone” in Bristol, where cars do not have priority.

Imagine the time and energy this must have taken! Imagine the sense of belonging, of “my space, my street, my community”. Imagine if all children had this. @playingout.bsky.social

And 👆👆 @edplowden.bsky.social @david-on-a-bike.bsky.social

Also 👆👆
@carladenyer.bsky.social @ellief.bsky.social @cllremmaedwards.bsky.social @robbryher.bsky.social @zoebanksgross.bsky.social @hwschoolstreet.bsky.social

Please share!
@bristol247.bsky.social @bristolcycling.bsky.social @tristancorkpost.bsky.social @sustrans.bsky.social @kinderaufsrad.bsky.social

Bristol folk - join us for #KidicalMass 2025! A family-friendly city-centre protest ride calling for safer streets for children and everyone. Come on bikes, scooters, skateboards or roller-skates! Castle Park bandstand from 11am, Saturday 14th June. www.facebook.com/events/10929...