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Sep 06, 2010
About The Project
Who are the new spaces for?
The new play spaces in Richmond are for all but are focusing on play and activity options for 8-13 year olds.
In consultation events this age group have told us loud and clear play places are all "way too easy, boring and for little children", "there is nothing for us" and we have to agree, its true!
The sites will be are open and free of charge to all.
The new designs must also try to ensure better access and experiences for disabled children with all sort of different needs.
But what is "natural play"?
There are many ways to think about "natural play"....playing on or with natural materials like wood, earth, water or playing in a natural way, making up games, building things, climbing or sliding on all sorts of stuff!
For anyone over 30 years old remember how you perhaps played when you were little... we asked a few local people, they told us....
- Building Dens or Hide outs?
- Making Go-carts?
- Climbing trees?
- Making mud pies?
- Building bonfires?
- Walking along high walls?
- Mucking about in rivers, streams or by the sea?
- Did you have a fence around you?
- Did you always have brightly coloured rubber matting under you?
- Could you move the stuff you played with about, sticks, stones, earth?
- Could you make it do anything you wanted?
- Did you get mucky, tear your clothes, scrape your knees?
The new Richmond Play Rangers held a "Play Day" in York House Gardens and we asked people of all ages to make time for play to build dens and think about how they like to play and how people used to play.
Everyone agreed we had more freedom to play outdoors in the past but let's get that freedom back and make play a natural thing for Richmond!
To find out where the new play spaces will be click here....