Is outdoor play the key to children’s health?

Enjoying the playground. Image by Tim Sandle.

Safe outdoor spaces for children to play, such as public parks and playgrounds, provide the opportunity for children to exercise, push themselves, socialise and test their physical capabilities. These are all skills which have been proven to lower characteristics of anxiety and depression, as well as helping to develop advanced motor skills and keep children at a healthy weight.

An indication of the importance of outdoor play the Association of Play Industries has recently called for members and supporters to participate in the UK Government’s NHS Consultation. This consultation gives participants the opportunity the influence the direction of the NHS over the next 10 years, potentially putting outdoor play areas at the top of the agenda.

In England, childhood obesity among Year 6 children has surged since 2006, with House of Commons Library data showing that 234 in every 1,000 10-11-year-olds are now obese, while 143 are classified as overweight.

There are plenty of contributing factors to increasing childhood obesity, from ultra-processed foods to an excess of screen time, but it becomes less shocking when we consider that this data coincides with reports that 793 play parks have been closed down due to a lack of funding since 2013.

Barry Leahey MBE, President of educational play specialists Playdale Playgrounds tells Digital Journal about his thoughts on outdoor play as an answer to the UK’s child health epidemic.

Outdoor play and health: the facts

“It’s an accepted fact that outdoor play makes children’s bodies and minds healthier,” says Leahey.

“Unicef has reported that regular play between parents and children means children are less likely to develop anxiety, depression, sleep problems and aggression. Given that playgrounds are the most common location for children’s play outside the home, the decline of outdoor play areas becomes a clear detriment to our children’s mental health,” Leahey explains.

“The number of children who must share playgrounds well beyond their capacity has been described as a ‘postcode lottery’ by the API,” Leahey continues. “This comes off the back of data revealing that there has been no real consideration for the accessibility of playgrounds to children and their families over the last 18 years. Children in London have almost five times fewer public playgrounds than children in Scotland, every playground in the North East and North West serves over 600 children, and all this is worsened by the fact that one in eight children live in a household with no garden.”

“49 percent of children never or rarely visit playgrounds, and this is no surprise when you look at the data on playground access,” Leahey explains. “2.3 million children under the age of nine live more than a 10-minute walk away from a playground, and even when they get to them, they will find that they are sharing the facilities with far more children than is acceptable – such as is in the extreme cases of the West Midlands.

Do areas with fewer playgrounds have more health problems?

“In short – yes. There’s plenty of data showing a concerning correlation between fewer playgrounds and higher rates of obesity,” Leahey adds. “For example, the West Midlands has the worst provision of play areas in the UK, with an average of 929 children per playground. It’s no coincidence that the West Midlands also has the worst rates of childhood obesity in England.”

“When you connect the dots, the correlation between a lack of outdoor play and the rise of childhood obesity is enough to make a strong case for equal play access becoming a health issue that’s worthy of national outcry.”

How do playgrounds improve child health?

“Playgrounds can, and should, become a great leveller in the UK,” says Leahey. “The State of Child Health report found that mental health disorders, weight and poverty were increasing across the board. Public playgrounds are in a unique position to tackle these core factors affecting children’s health, whilst also being free to access for families of all economic backgrounds.”

“Playgrounds give children from working-class and middle-class backgrounds a safe space to improve their mental health by connecting with the outdoors and others, lose weight through physical exercise, and improve their motor skills through challenging play,” Leahey continues.

“The transformative power of playgrounds becomes even more prevalent when playgrounds are designed inclusively, enabling wheelchair users to join in with the fun and express themselves alongside other children,” Leahey adds. “Well-designed, properly-funded playgrounds don’t discriminate and that benefits all children.”

Is outdoor play the key to children’s health?

“Outdoor play is an incredibly important factor in our children’s health. Now more than ever, we must champion our local playgrounds to save them from further decline,” concludes Leahey.

“We do this by making our politicians and NHS leaders aware of outdoor play’s undeniable health benefits. If we all champion this cause, we can make sure funding is available for more playgrounds to improve access nationwide, for more inclusive equipment that doesn’t discriminate and for recognition of outdoor play decline being a health crisis for the UK’s children.”

Are you concerned about the state of UK playgrounds? Have your say in the Change NHS consultation.