We named our second community play report 'Breaking the Grass Ceiling'. It aims to inspire more people to play outside and enjoy nature.
The report is specifically targeting the school holidays. We promise to include nature in all our development nationwide. This means that every new home will have access to green spaces.
Willow and Indy, who are our Junior Heads of Play, have been working with residents to make communities more play friendly. They have also collaborated with children's psychologist and professor Helen Dodd from Exeter University.
Helen focuses on the importance and impact of Play for young people. She has worked with us since 2023 to help promote play throughout our developments.
Here are Helen's top tips for parents and grandparents who want to encourage their children and grandchildren to play outside and explore nature.
1. Level up your eye-spy game with nature bingo
Getting children familiar with nature and enjoying being outside is hugely beneficial to their development. A low cost, fun game to play is nature bingo. Head out for a walk and see how many you can spot. Even in more urban areas, you will be amazed how much nature is around us when you look for it.
We design our developments with green open areas. Existing and new places for nature to thrive. Connected by walkways and cycleways all on your doorstep. Read about the benefits of nature on your doorstep.
2. Go on a ‘challenge’ walk
Children respond well to challenge and adventure, so instead go on a ‘challenge’ walk. There are simple ways to do this, such as providing children with a compass or map, explaining how they each work, and having them guide you, or by choosing a more challenging route or longer distance than usual.
“You will be amazed what children can do and how good they feel when they have conquered the challenge!” say’s Professor Helen Dodd.
3. Do not be afraid to get your hands muddy.
Garden time is a great stepping stone to getting the kids outdoors and gives children a chance to get their hands muddy. Whether it is your own backyard, an allotment or even creating a potted herb garden indoors. This can be a great multigenerational activity as Grandparents are often an excellent source of gardening information. If your grandparents are not nearby, reach out to neighbours or local allotment owners, who can also provide valuable advice and tips.
Read our tips and ideas for garden safety and making your outdoor area as easy to navigate as possible.
4. Start small, even 30 minutes of outdoor time a day is great
In a world driven by tech, getting outside can seem impossible, but aiming for manageable amounts makes the prospect far more realistic. Start with an achievable 30 minutes a day as a minimum and build up as the summer goes on.
“Do not feel downtrodden if there are days where this is not possible - I am a firm believer in balance.” Says Professor Helen Dodd.
Making sure that kids have some choice over what they do, spending plenty of time outside playing and running around, as well as having some downtime with a movie or book to relax, is the perfect recipe for your summer holiday play diet.
If you are in search of ideas for outdoor games to play either in your garden or wider neighbourhood, read outdoor game ideas for summer.
5. Plan and prep your outdoor adventures together
Letting your kids get involved in the planning is a fantastic way to get everyone in the family excited and invested in activities from the get-go. This could be researching what is on nearby, finding green spaces in the surrounding area to picnic, maybe it is a new playground or an event that is only a short walk, bus, or train journey, from home. If you have family or friends in other areas of the country, challenge them to do the same and organise a trip to do something together if you can.
Allowing your children to take a leading role as their very own ‘Director of Play’ also adds a sense of autonomy and builds a new set of skills for them too.
6. Embrace boredom
Whilst planning can be great to give your kids some structure, allow your children to get bored. I know this may sound crazy, but by taking a step back and letting them be bored for a while you will notice that kids are resourceful when it comes to entertaining themselves.
We have put together a boredom busting guide on how to entertain kids at home in the summer.
Embracing boredom opens up a world of possibilities for children – maybe there an area nearby they want to explore, a cardboard box they want to repurpose, some flowers they want to trace – it can encourage a sense of adventure and creativity that is missing when all their activities are planned for them.
In an effort to motivate local governments, other developers, and residents to come together, we aim to encourage play in our Redrow communities. The suggestions given will assist design the play spaces in all our upcoming developments. This includes the prioritisation of doorstep play, play on the way and natural play spaces, as well as involving local children in the design of new play areas.
For further details visit Placemaking to Playmaking.
