Press Release

Transforming The Future Of Play - New Design Guidance

20 August 2008

Play England, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will today launch new guidance for the design of children’s play spaces.

Design for Play: A guide to creating successful play spaces will provide local authorities and other commissioners with advice and ideas on how to transform children’s play spaces.

The guide shows how to design a good play space, which can be affordably maintained, but still gives children and young people the freedom to play creatively and allows them to experience risk, challenge and excitement in their play. It sets out a new approach, tackles current myths, and challenges providers to think creatively about children and young people in the public domain.

Andrew Adonis, Schools Minister said: ‘Play space needs to be of high quality and good design to attract children and young people and to become a valued part of local communities. Design for Play sets out the principles for creating imaginative, innovative and stimulating play spaces that will enrich the lives of children and young people and we look forward to seeing it inspire commissioners and designers in local areas as they work to deliver improved play areas.’

Adrian Voce, Director of Play England said: ‘The Government’s spending programme is an opportunity to seriously rethink the way we cater for children’s outdoor play. We think Design for Play sets a new benchmark for play space, putting play value for children at the heart of the design process.’
 
Design for Play has been published by the government to underpin its playbuilders capital-funding programme, a major part of the national play strategy launched in April.