A report by the Raising the Nation Play Commission highlights a dramatic decline in play among children in England, leading to them being "sedentary, scrolling and alone." Experts recommend banning "no ball games" signs, raising the digital age of consent to 16, restoring play in education, and implementing a statutory "play sufficiency duty" for local authorities, backed by £125m annual funding, to address rising obesity and ill health.
Children in England growing up ‘sedentary, scrolling and alone’, say experts
Children's healthSocietyAccess to green spaceUKEnvironment
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A report by the Raising the Nation Play Commission highlights a dramatic decline in play among children in England, leading to them being "sedentary, scrolling and alone." Experts recommend banning "no ball games" signs, raising the digital age of consent to 16, restoring play in education, and implementing a statutory "play sufficiency duty" for local authorities, backed by £125m annual funding, to address rising obesity and ill health.
Trending- 1 Last year: The Guardian reported on shrinking school outside space
- 2 Current: Raising the Nation Play Commission report published after a year of investigation
- Children growing up 'sedentary, scrolling and alone'
- Dramatic decline in play
- Huge loss of outdoor play and independence
- Rising rates of obesity and ill health among children
- Children being the 'least happy generation'
- Lack of safe spaces for children to play
- Increased screen time
- Potential for government policy changes and funding for play initiatives
What: The Raising the Nation Play Commission report states that children in England are growing up 'sedentary, scrolling and alone' due to a dramatic decline in play. The report recommends banning 'no ball games' signs, raising the digital age of consent to 16, restoring play to the education system, and implementing a statutory 'play sufficiency duty' for local authorities, supported by an annual £125m funding. The commission, comprising 19 experts, found that increased screen time is driven by a lack of alternative play spaces (traffic-dominated streets, decline in youth clubs, loss of playground funds).
When: The commission spent 'a year investigating'. The report is published now. Last year, The Guardian reported on shrinking school outside space.
Where: England, UK. Finland is mentioned as a country with better practices.
Why: The decline in play is linked to rising obesity, ill health, and unhappiness among children. It's caused by a lack of safe, accessible, and free outdoor spaces for play, coupled with increased screen time and schoolwork demands.
How: The commission gathered evidence from children, parents, and professionals. Recommendations include policy changes (bans, duties), funding, and integrating play into education, drawing lessons from countries like Finland.