About Us
Gwealan Tops is a charity (Charity number 1177542) dedicated to promoting play for children, young people and the wider community.
With support from The National Lottery, Gwealan Tops has achieved its long-held ambition to provide a staffed adventure playground all year round. This is the first and only one in Cornwall.
The site is a large area with some structures, wild areas and lots of space to roam, explore, experiment and create.
Arts, crafts and imaginative opportunities are offered alongside campfires, building, sports and outdoor experiences with the main purpose of supporting free play.
Children are able to take on challenges and manage risks gaining new skills, building confidence and increasing their understanding of themselves, others and the world around them.
There are many plans to continue to develop the opportunities for play and especially increase the challenges for school-aged young people from aged 7 upwards to get more out of the setting. Your ideas and suggestions are welcomed.
For further information or to share your thoughts please contact Bridget and John on manager@gwealantops.org or ring 01209 697717
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.