Thursday, 27 February 2025 13:31 GMT

RE: "Creating playgrounds that boost children's health" by Rachael Smith (School Health Pulse Evidence brief, October 24th)

Dear Editor,

The study you featured highlights that playground markings and structures increase physical activity in primary schools. However, I have also witnessed unused markings, cordoned off condemned structures, and children ill-equipped to “play” as desired. This raises a crucial question: are these markings designed by those using them?

Student-designed playgrounds are most effective at engaging students (1) and are a popular choice for increasing active minutes during the “down times” of the school day.

During a recent visit to a rural Cambridgeshire Primary, I observed a whole-school approach to active, purposeful playtimes. Every teacher was trained, and every child was engaged and invested in shaping their new “playtime offer”. This approach goes beyond simply providing equipment; it’s about involving children in the process and educating them on how to use it and the benefits of doing so (1).

Ultimately, markings, structures, and space increase sustained physical activity when children are involved in the design process. Bats and balls wear and tear, but a child that has designed a playground has the most important piece of equipment of all — their imagination!

Laura Williams

Cambridge, England

1. Howe, J & Pearson, R 2017, 'Pupil participation and playground design: listening and responding to children’s views', Educational Psychology in Practice, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 356-370. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2017.1326375

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