PROJECT: Play in the Park
FUNDER: The Royal Parks, via London Marathon Trust
DATES: February 2019 – October 2022
New playgrounds being built in The Regents and Greenwich Parks created an opportunity for encouraging communities living nearby to make greater use of their local green spaces; whose reputation as destination parks can make them feel exclusive.
Working alongside The Royal Parks team, London Play used (what else?) play to tempt local people into the parks during the school holidays. Teddy bear’s picnics, Go kart build and race events, junk modelling, crafts, pirate-themed days and more featured in this hugely successful project.
Play in the Park’s main aims were to inspire local families with outdoor, active and nature play in the parks and playgrounds, in particular: low-income families with young children who were not regular visitors, families with children living with health needs, physical disabilities or neurodiversity, as well as local teenagers and parents with less active lifestyles.
Over nearly four years (with a gap in the middle during Covid when things went online for a bit), more than 6,500 people attended events and play sessions in the parks, 3,800 of whom were children.
‘I wanted to express my intense gratitude to every single play worker who helped to make these sessions such a positive, welcoming and fun space to play. Whilst the Royal Parks will always be there, I very much hope that these sessions will be able to continue, as they provide an immensely valuable play resource for parents and children alike.
Project participant
Click the link below to view the full impact report on The Royal Parks website. It is a joy to read, full of fantastic photos and glowing feedback from those who took part.
