More playgrounds to help combat childhood obesity

Apr 4 2008

MERSEYSIDE will lead a new drive to lure children away from TVs and computer screens as part of a £235m cash injection to build exciting new play areas.

Knowsley will be given £2m to build adventure play- grounds for eight to 13-year- olds, one of 30 less prosperous places targeted for help.

Such playgrounds will boast super-size climbing frames, assault courses and forts to attract older children who increasingly shun traditional outdoor play.

Meanwhile, Sefton and Halton are among 43 areas that will each receive £1m for better play areas, to reverse a trend that has left more children cooped up indoors.

And every local authority in the country will receive a share of the £235m, which will pay for a total of 3,500 new or rebuilt play areas across England.

The initiative – outlined by Children’s Secretary Ed Balls yesterday follows alarming research that a quarter of all eight to ten-year-olds have never played outside without adult supervision.

Meanwhile, the average age at which children are allowed out to play on their own has risen from seven years old in the 1970s, to over eight years.

Mr Balls, who wants parents to feel their children are safe away from their own home or garden, pledged help for councils to stamp out bullying in play areas and improve road safety.

But he also vowed to tackle the “no ball games” culture, that he believes bars youngsters from playing football, rugby, cricket or other games in communal areas, because officials frown on it.

And he accused some councils of using the fear of being sued by litigious parents as an “easy excuse” to cut back on exciting playgrounds – calling for a return of “the fear factor” in children’s play.

Mr Balls said: “Too often people say, ‘We can’t do that because of health and safety’. But I think there are very few examples of children or parents taking action because of play facilities.

“Let’s see an end to the no ball games culture and a start of a new era where children’s needs and children’s play areas are at the heart of the planning process from start to finish.” Damian Allen, Knowsley Council’s director of children’s services, hailed the announcement as “fantastic news for children in Knowsley”.

He added: “Over the next three years, Knowsley will see the refurbishment of some of its existing play spaces and adventure playgrounds, as well as the creation of new play spaces in particular areas of need.”

Last week, Tanya Byron, the TV psychologist reviewing the risks of computer games and the internet for the government, warned technology had “driven a generation of children indoors”.

The crisis was being made worse by increased traffic and parked cars, le tolerance of young people and parental fear of “stranger danger”.

But Michael Gove, the Conservative children’s spokesman, accused Mr Balls of “warm words”, adding: “Ministers have endlessly criticised the compensation culture, without coming up with any solutions to deal with it.”