Young children who spend more time playing in playgrounds are happier and have better mental health, according to new analysis of one of Britain's leading studies of children's play.
For the first time, data has been examined from the British Children's Pre-School Play Survey specifically to understand the role playgrounds play in children's lives.
The findings - from leading play expert Professor Helen Dodd and commissioned by the Association of Play Industries - reveal that playgrounds are not only the number one place for young children to play away from home, but that more frequent playground play is associated with better wellbeing and fewer emotional difficulties.
The research found that:
- 83% of children aged 2 to 4 use a playground at least once a week during spring and summer, while more than two-thirds do so even during autumn and winter.
- Playgrounds are the number one place for young children to play away from home, with children spending an average of 139 hours a year playing in them.
- Young children who spend more time playing in playgrounds are happier, while more frequent playground play is associated with better mental health and wellbeing, including fewer emotional difficulties.
- Despite their importance, around one in twenty pre-school children spend fewer than 10 hours a year in playgrounds, highlighting that some children are missing out on the benefits they provide.
The report’s author, Professor Helen Dodd, said: "This is the first time we've been able to examine these data specifically to understand the role playgrounds play in young children's lives. That matters because playgrounds are the number one place children play away from home, yet until now we haven't had a clear picture of how playground use relates to children's mental health and wellbeing.
“The findings show that young children who spend more time playing in playgrounds tend to be happier and experience fewer emotional difficulties.
“We already know that outdoor play is crucial for children's healthy development, and this analysis reinforces just how important accessible, high-quality playgrounds are in supporting those opportunities."
Chair of the Association of Play Industries, Dr Amanda Gummer, said: “This report clearly shows the power of playgrounds. The findings provide fresh evidence that playgrounds are far more than recreational spaces - they are essential public health infrastructure, a crucial part of children's everyday lives and make an important contribution to their mental health.
“This report strengthens the case for protecting and investing in high-quality public play spaces. If we continue to treat them as optional, we will keep paying for that decision elsewhere.”
