This week, on the banks of the River Thames, Play England unveiled It All Starts with Play – their 10-year strategy aimed at restoring children’s freedom to play by 2035.
The Decline of Play—And the Case for Change
Its not news to playworkers that over recent generations, play has been systematically eroded. It’s a depressing normality for us to be aware that where children once freely explored and played on their streets and in their communities, today childhood is shaped by fear, inequality, spatial injustice, control over time, and loss of child-friendly and play-permissive spaces. We also know that the impact of play deprivation is profound, and no doubt contributing to worsening mental health, reduced physical activity, and deepening social inequalities.
It All Starts With Play outlines play as not a luxury but as a fundamental right, enshrined in Article 31 of the UNCRC. Yet England lags behind Wales and Scotland, both of which have enshrined children’s right to play into law.
At the heart of the strategy is the STAR framework, developed by Dr. Naomi Lott at the University of Reading, which aims to ensure play is embedded in policy and practice:
Time: Protected, unstructured time for spontaneous, self-directed play.
Acceptance: A culture that recognises and celebrates play as a right.
Rights: Legal, policy, and planning systems that secure and uphold children’s right.
This strategic framework guides the four key priorities:
- Spaces – Investing in parks, streets, adventure playgrounds, and digital play spaces.
- Skills – Recognising playworkers and community enablers as essential.
- Systems – Advocating for national policy, legislation, and sustainable funding.
- Society – Shifting public narratives to make play visible, accepted, and protected.
The launch of the strategy comes at a time of increasing political interest in play in England. In January 2025, play was debated in Westminster for the first time in eight years. The establishment of an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Play was also launched at the event this week, further reinforcing a route to secure national play sufficiency legislation for England.
The alignment between Play England’s strategy and the objectives of our Play Commission underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in creating environments where children can thrive.
Thanks also to Tom Hayes MP for his leadership within Parliament ensuring children’s play is high on the political agenda to help deliver a better future for all.
Paul Lindley, chair of the Raising the Nation Play Commission.
PlayNation, in their coverage, emphasised the push for a new National Play Strategy for England, echoing Play England’s call for systemic change. Meanwhile, an article in The Guardian outlined how planning laws might evolve to integrate play into urban design, urging MPs to champion play-friendly policies.
I have yet to read the strategy with the necessary attention to detail, but it does feel like both an opportunity and a call to action. An appeal for collaboration to secure a future where every child has the freedom to play. As my union rep says, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so I intend to sit down and tie a napkin around my neck soon.
Have you read the strategy? What are your thoughts?
The Playwork Foundation 