Special Report - Excellence in Play: Introduction

It is a growing recognition of the role of play in children'sdevelopment that lies behind the renewed attention play is receiving ata government level, most notably through the Play England project and155m of funding that is being made available for play developmentthrough the Big Lottery Fund.

Yet a realisation of the importance of play has not always been matchedby clarity over the kind of facilities, support and policies that willmake for excellent play, that will enable children to experiment, takethe risks and form the social bonds that will best support theirdevelopment.

The aim of this special report is to highlight what makes forexcellence, drawing on some of the best provision in the UK and thereasons for its success. Several themes emerge. Play is best when itinvolves and takes place within a community context. Fenced-off fixedequipment doesn't on its own provide for exciting play, though fixedequipment can play a vital role in enhancing provision and expanding therange of challenging activities on offer. Giving children a say in thetype of provision as well as giving them the freedom to determineday-to-day activities is crucial to success.