Nursery World - Play strategies for councils and parents

Hundreds of thousands of children and their families took part in free activities across the UK to celebrate Playday on 4 August. Now in its 17th year, Playday is a national event co-ordinated by the Children's Play Council and the Children's Society.

Now in its 17th year, Playday is a national event co-ordinated by the Children's Play Council and the Children's Society.

London's Trafalgar Square was turned into a giant playground for the day (pictured) and mayor Ken Livingstone used the occasion to launch a draft guide to help London boroughs prepare local play strategies.

Mr Livingstone said, 'Play and outdoor activity are widely recognised as important to children's physical and mental well-being, and their educational and social development. Yet children and young people say they experience many barriers to play and their enjoyment of public spaces, while fears about safety and traffic are major concerns for adults as well as children. There should be high-quality provision for play in every neighbourhood and this guide aims to provide a framework for developing local play opportunities within a regional context.'

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