Friday, September 12, 2014
Playing Out -- Reclaiming Neighborhood Streets as a Social Center for Children
That was the thought that Bristol, England, resident Alice Ferguson had back in 2009. She and her neighbor Amy Rose arranged to have their street closed to through traffic for three hours one day after school and let the children run free, just like the good old days. This was the start of the not-for-profit organization Playing Out.
The goals of Playing Out are to draw children out from behind closed doors, get them away from computer screens and encourage them to discover the joy of riding a scooter up and down the street without a parent standing two feet away. Children today are losing the social opportunities they once had. Many resort to online friendships devoid of physical interaction, boundary pushing and yes, bruising a few knees.
Playing Out was never intended to be an ongoing scheme, but when it became clear how important the social interaction was for children, Bristol city council got involved and ran a pilot scheme. Temporary through traffic road closures once a week allowed the concept of children playing safely in the streets to become a reality.
The social interactions of Playing Out benefit children, but the adults on the street get to know each other better as well. Parents chat, reminisce and enjoy a cup of coffee together as they give their kids some much needed unstructured play and a chance to make new friends.
You can adopt the Playing Out concept in your own neighborhood and gets kids outside again. Everyone has a different approach to parenting, but there’s no denying that outdoor time with neighborhood friends is beneficial in this world of over-scheduling and screen-based entertainment.
To learn more about the value of children playing outside, please contact ListenLoveLearn.
Image via Shutterstock.com
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