A recent study, To Play or Not to Play: Mapping Unequal Provision of Children’s Playgrounds, conducted by the University of Sheffield has unveiled significant disparities in the availability of children’s playgrounds across England. With nearly 34,000 playgrounds mapped across the country, this comprehensive research provides the most detailed picture of playground provision to date.
The findings highlight stark inequalities in access to play spaces and propose a framework to address them, aligning with Play England’s ongoing advocacy for Play Sufficiency legislation and a new National Play Strategy.