Where do the children play? How policies can influence practice

Children's play is important for individual children and for society as a whole. The current paper discusses some of the issues concerning the spaces in which children might play in the external urban environment. First the paper seeks briefly to remind the reader about the importance of play, both for individual children and society as a whole. Second it discusses the types of space—playgrounds—that English society currently usually provides for children to play in, in the outdoor environment. Some of the places that children like to play in are then addressed, drawing upon evidence from research. This is followed by a discussion of some policies that can provide opportunities for children to experience different spaces for playing and experiencing the external environment. Finally there is a short reflection as to whether society will be able to use the opportunities these policies currently provide and thus provide spaces for play with a different character than has been provided for the last 50 years.