Greeny News

Outdoor play is good for body and mind of children. So, after copying the strategy of the Labour Party, what commitments were made by this government, asks Adrian Voce

As more than half a million children and their families to celebrate the national holiday today in over 500 local events, is a good time to take stock of the "situation" .

New research shows Savlon and England playing more than 60% of parents want their children to play outside more than they, while one in seven parents do not know where to find a green spot where it can happen. This survey corresponds to a new study from the University of Bristol and Loughborough, which adds more weight to concerns that children are at greater risk of obesity and mental health problems of relying too much on screen time for recreation.

The myth is that modern children prefer these more traditional electronic entertainment, the "real world" game. Our research suggests that this is far from certain. When asked about his favorite places to play, 88% said the beach or river, 79% said the park. Ball games, cycling and climbing trees are much more popular with children playing on the computer.

But the constraints of physical space, fears for child safety (traffic, crime, or foreign aggressors), changes in family life and a culture that places a higher premium in the realization of profit, have conspired to increase the pressure on the opportunities for children to play. Now, children are absent from the public space, even where they live, or antisocial behavior as a threat. These pressures are increasing as public services are facing severe cut, with 60% of local authorities to cut services of their game this year, with the prospect of the worst.

Fortunately, most £ 235 000 000 commmitted playgrounds for the first three years of the strategy is adopted before the government began to exercise his ax. The "game revolution" as the Times described it, will leave a good legacy. The irony is that without severe spending commitments related to the seven remaining years of the plan, but the government has abandoned any case, almost, apparently as an act of malice. It was a pet project of Ed Balls.