The Convention on the Rights of the Child that was ratified in 1989 recognises the right to play as one of the fundamental precepts of a child-friendly city.

However, the term play cannot be constrained to simply refer to the provision of conventional, prescriptive areas such as playgrounds.

Rather, a true child-friendly city is one that is actively engaged in fulfilling the right of every young citizen (under the age of 18) to a wide range of standards. These include their participatory rights in their communities as equal citizens, their rights to be safe and protected from harm and their rights to have environments supporting their needs to learn, play and be social (UNICEF 2013). (Photo: Andrew Seaman on Unsplash)

Teen mental health problems are increasing at 27% per year, which equates to a tripling since 2008.

What are we doing to improve this alarming trend and help get kids off the screens and more active with fun outdoor play and all of its benefits?

Read this article by Rob Walton from Accelerate Play. Rob discusses how they are resourcing Councils and communities to help reduce the rising financial and social costs of teenage depression, obesity, and anti-social behaviours.

Research clearly states that active pre-teens, who make physical activity part of life, are less likely to suffer from these problems in their teenage years and for the rest of their adult life. (Photo: Andrew Neel on Unsplash)

Communities in Onkaparinga are taking back the streets! 

Recently we had a chat with Leeza Peters who is the Community  Activation Officer, Play Streets, at the City of Onkaparinga in South Australia. 

Leeza has the great role of working with communities to 'reclaim residential streets', creating local street events that help to connect people with their neighbours and improve the health and wellbeing of those involved. 

Play Streets builds a greater sense of belonging within local communities, by providing the opportunity to informally meet with  each other outside on their shared neighbourhood street.

Leeza offers many learnings here of how beneficial street play can be for community engagement, growing quality connections and improving that sense of belonging. 

Researching early childhood education for sustainability: Challenging assumptions and orthodoxies

Co-editors: Dr Sue Elliott, University of New England, Australia, Professor Eva Ärlemalm-Hagsér, Mälardalen University, Sweden and Adjunct Professor Julie Davis, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. 

They capture the international Early Childhood for Sustainability (ECEfS) research field at a time of increasing urgency around global climate disruptions, now compounded by the COVID pandemic.

Central to this text is the perspective that young children can, and should, be active participants in transformative change for healthy, just and sustainable futures.

More importantly, the book offers some practical advice to inspire early years educators to implement ECEfS in their early learning communities. (Photo by Charlein Gracia on Unsplash)