Nursery World - Interview - Alice Ferguson, co-director, Playing Out

Playing Out began in 2009 when Alice Ferguson and her neighbour, artist Amy Rose, set about reclaiming their street for children’s play.

Alice Ferguson: 'Most of all, we want the Government to acknowledge outdoor play is a basic need and right for all children that should be encouraged'

Today, it is a national movement supporting children’s right to play outside for their health, happiness and sense of belonging. Ms Ferguson describes how their vision has spread to more than 1,000 UK street communities.

DESCRIBE THE INSPIRATION BEHIND PLAYING OUT

My neighbourhood in South Bristol is close to the city centre, with mostly terraced housing, few green spaces and busy roads. When our children were young, my neighbour, Amy and I, started to feel frustrated that their freedom to play out was so restricted, mainly because of the traffic that dominated local streets. So we had an idea that would both provide a temporary solution and start to change things more deeply. We knew that you could apply to have a street party, so why not use this procedure to close the street to traffic one day after school, giving over the space to children, we thought. We applied for a street party application from the council; consulted with residents; developed a safe model for opening up the street for children’s play – and, after a few months, Playing Out was born.

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