Why adventure playgrounds are so important…

Adventure playgrounds offer a unique form of staffed play provision where children can play in ways that they often can’t elsewhere. They provide opportunities for children to face challenges and risks whilst supervised by skilled play workers.

Benefits of adventure playgrounds include children and young people’s improved physical health, more respite for parents, as well as increased confidence and resilience among users. Adventure playgrounds can offer children – particularly vulnerable children living in areas of high social deprivation – places where they learn for themselves how to deal with risks and build the resilience needed to cope with life’s challenges. Because of the unique public service that adventure playgrounds offer, they often become the heart of a neighbourhood community.

Due to increased traffic and parental fears children have less opportunity to play out by themselves and with their friends than their parents did. We particularly want to encourage school-aged children the opportunity to have the time and space to play, to test themselves, to try things out, to make friends, to create and destroy, and to have fun without their parents or other adults looking over their shoulders.