Those edgelands , the bits of wildness not far from every home are vanishing fast.
everything built on and developed, houses, shops, fast food and offices.
How can we safeguard green space for kids in every community? And what about the parks and common land?, with services cut here and there, how will these special places survive for our kids?
Time poor parents -
Life is busy, Time is short
Many parents are working more and more and distributed families mean there's less and less help with the kids.
Finding time to take kids outdoors is often seen as no can do.
How can the outdoors become a friend to parents once again? giving them time and space, and keeping their children happy, healthy and entertained?
Stranger Danger -
Largely perception and media driven.
But none the less, the fears are real.
We are scared of leaving our children outside on their own, and we look uncomfortably at people we don't know in our streets and neighbourhoods.
Risk averse culture -
Don't do that, be careful, watch out, don't run, don't pick that up, come here!
Just start noticing the language we use with our kids outside
How do we stand back and make falling over and getting dirty the good thing that is for building confidence, independence and risk awareness?
Rise of screen time -
Kids love the shiny tech as much as the rest of us.
The ubiquity and pervasiveness of screens across every aspect of our lives has happened with astonishing speed with limited disconnect anymore between on and offline. This is voted as the number one barrier to kids playing out across the whole network from parents to organisations.
How can we make sure we're aware of our screen time and we find balance by making time for WildTime, offline, outside, liking other stuff like plants, trees, the sun, the rain and all the cool creatures?
Play Inc -
Money has creeped with stealth into the world of child play.
Experiences and things need to be bought, treated, updated, downloaded and get better and better each time, The natural world offers mystery, creativity and gameplay for free and in abundance. It does however require guides, mentors, catalysts and time to develop connection, relationships, wonder and awe.
Nature starved curriculum -
Nature, apparently, is not going to help children, in the global economic race
There are fewer and fewer opportunities for most children to explore the natural world through their school education journey, which is where they spend most of their young lives, how can we get the outdoors back into everyday learning?
Lack of free range play -
Fenced in, monitored, regulated.
Outdoor play is more often than not, contained. Too many rules, with too many constraints. We know that free range is better than battery. So how will the kids rome free again?
Kidvertising -
Make it pink, make it blue, make them want it all.
The corporations are out to get kids and they're damn good at it, But should young kids have to deal with advertising and material pressures, and the envy and wants that it creates? All of which combine to make time outdoors feel less and less interesting.
Danger streets -
It's a minefield out there.
As kids get older, they tell us the streets become dangerous with gangs and postcodes bringing all kinds of darkness into young lives. How can we work to create a feeling of safe neighbourhoods and safer places for kids, as they grow? How can we let them be free, but feel safe?
Carlamity -
Mind the car! Watch the van! Wait..
Car-ridden streets of noise, pollution and danger, which must be reclaimed by communities and kids alike, Let's re-claim the roads with street parades and parties. We can close the roads for play days. And we must teach kids that walking with headphones in isn't great.
Bring back the green cross code? Bring in more 20mph zones? Make wider pavements in new developments?
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