Community Play Spaces: Promoting Young Children's Play

Play is essential for young children's healthy development. The availability and accessibility of a variety of community play spaces can facilitate increased play and physical activity. Based on more than 10,000 observations in 287 community play spaces in six municipalities on southern Vancouver Island to determine the location and content of the spaces, how they were used and by whom, eight key issues were identified: (a) children's right to play, (b) the value of play, (c) children's health and physical fitness, (d) availability, accessibility, and variety of play spaces, (e) varied materials, equipment, and amenities, (f) current threats to play and play spaces, (g) play value in play spaces, and (h) fun. Specific areas and strategies for advocating for more and higher quality community play spaces are discussed.