What is Play?

"Play is an essential part of every child's life and vital to the processes of human development. It provides the mechanism for children to explore the world around them and the medium to which skills are developed in practice. It is essential for physical, emotional and spiritual growth, intellectual and educational development, and acquiring social and behavioural skills. Play is a generic term for a variety of activities that are satisfying to the child, creative for the child and freely chosen by the child."

Please use the following link for the Playwork Principles:

• www.skillsactive.com/playwork/principles

Play is "S.P.I.C.E."

Social
Physical
Intellectual
Creative
Emotional

Play Development within East Cambridgeshire's District

East Cambridgeshire District Council has been successful in securing a bid from The Big Lottery for the development of PLAY across the region. The three main areas which will be focused on are -

• To install some new and innovative play equipment into some play areas across the East Cambs. region.
• To install 5 youth shelters across the East Cambs. region.
• To develop and produce an outreach play programme, which will provide more play activities to children and young people, inclusive of children and young people with special needs, aged between 0 - 19 years. A new post of Play and Physical Activity Co-ordinator has been created.

The play areas which have been identified for further development have been decided through a comprehensive audit and assessment carried out by East Cambs. District Council published in October 2005 on Sports Facilities and Play Areas.

The key objectives around the role of The Play & Physical Activity Co-ordinator are to -

• Raise the profile of play
• Increase participation of children, young people, parents and carers in play activities.
• Increase play activities both in term time and school holidays
• Increase free play provision
• Work with the extended schools programme

To develop the East Cambridgeshire Play Partnership (ECPP)

The ECPP was established and constituted February 7th, 2008. It'sd aim is to support the developwemnt of Play by all providors, throughout the district of East Cambs. This support will be offered by the group as a whole and may take the form of guidance, funding or attendence at meetings and/or events. This is one one of the first Play Partnerships to be set up, in conjuction with Play England.

If anybody is interested in the partaking of this group, please email michelle.burrell@eastcambs.gov.uk

Active Play Clubs

There were 12 schools that participated in Active Club Programme. Active Play is a key factor contributing to every child's physical development and wellbeing. For further information on New Guidance on Obesity, please visit www.dh.gov.uk

In order to aid the child's development. Through play the child explores the world around them and thus will develop with it as a result. It is good to have the interaction of parents throughout play and it should be seen as an enhancement of their play.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, was ratisfaied by the UK in 1991. It has been signed up to by 192 countries, and all except 2 UN member states. The USA and Somalia, who have now signalled their intention to ratify.

The Key Rights

At it's heart lies a committment to the principal that 'the best interests of the child shall be the primary consideration.' It covers four broad araes of rights:

1. Survival rights
2. Development Rights
3. Protection rights
4. Participation rights

For further information, please visit the Every Child Matters website:

• www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/uncrc

Useful Contacts for Play Providers

• www.playengland.org.uk
• www.4children.org.uk

Play Areas

Play Services

Play Facilities

Ashley

• Baby Band (pre-school age)
• Under 15's Football Club

Skate Parks

There are currently four skate parks available in East Cambridgeshire:

Recreation Ground, Weirs Drove, Burwell

Kit available:

• Fun Box
• Half Pipe
• Spine
• Quarter Pipe
• Grind Rail

Newnham Street, Ely

Kit available:

• Fun Box

Hop Row, Haddenham

Kit available:

• Fun Box
• Quarter Pipe
• Grind Rail
• Pyramid

Fountain Lane, Soham

Kit available:

• Fun Box

Play Areas - Maintenance Information

Information for groups maintaining outdoor play areas

Play Area Risk Assessments

For further information about risk assessing outdoor play areas, please visit the RoSPA website.

(RoSPA - Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents)

Website: www.rospa.com/playsafety/services/play_area.htm
Email: info@rospaplaysafety.co.uk

To order a risk assessment template, please email RoSPA at orders@rospaplaysafety.co.uk

Inspections of Play Areas

For information regarding inspections of outdoor play areas, please use the following link:

Website: www.rospa.com/playsafety/info/14_inspection_maintenance.htm

Protection & Improvement of Play Areas

For information on protecting fields of outdoor sports and play spaces, please visit the Fields in Trust website.

Website: www.fieldsintrust.org
Email: fields@fieldsintrust.org
Tel: 020 83753380

For information on protecting on landscaping advice for outdoor sports and play spaces, please visit the Learning through Landscapes website.

Website: www.ltl.org.uk

For examples of a creative playground design, please use the following link:

Website: Evergreen Adventure Playground, Hackney, London

Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder - Funding Available for Play Spaces!

Cambridgeshire County Council is about to commence phase two of its Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder Project. The Play Pathfinder, funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), has been set up to deliver new, creative and inspiring play spaces across the whole of Cambridgeshire.

The relevance and importance of play in all children and young people's lives and development is widely acknowledged. It is believed that play contributes to children and young people's physical, social, emotional, intellectual and creative development.

Having funded the development of 12 play spaces already, 16 further sites will benefit from grants of up to £50,000 to further enhance the provision of play opportunities across the county. It is hoped to encompass the design principles for a successful play space as outlined by the DCSF and Play England1. By doing so further play opportunities will be provided within a new generation of play spaces for a new generation of children and young people.

Focus will be particularly given to natural, accessible play and the provision of risk and challenge. Local children and young people will be involved in the development and design processes of their innovative new play spaces. Both are important aspects of the Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder.

District, city, town and parish councils, together with voluntary organisations, are all eligible to apply for funding to aid the development of play spaces in their area. Applications will be open from April until August 2009. Anyone interested in the Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder should contact Ashley List, telephone 01954 284204 e-mail Ashley.List@Cambridgeshire.gov.uk for further information.

References

1) Shackell A et al (2008) Design for Play: A Guide to Creating Successful Play Spaces. DCSF Publications.