ParkPlay is 2 hours of free play every week at your local park.

ParkPlay brings just enough structure and minimal rules to create a brilliant, weekly, locally organised event to communities around the country. Not everyone likes sport, or thinks they are sporty; everyone can enjoy PLAY.

Some will do sport, all will play

Competitive sport may be for the few, but play is for everyone – we can all benefit from fun activity for its own sake. This is the central message of Matt Rogan‘s brilliant book All to Play for. It also supports many of the principles that underpin ParkPlay.

Parents can get involved at ParkPlay, be that role model and play with their kids rather than pressurise them from the sidelines, which can perpetuate a destructive cycle.

Dr Daniel Lieberman’s book “Exercised” is another must-read for anyone interested in health and physical activity. In this bitesize edition of his podcast Dr. Rangan Chatterjee gives a flavour of the key messages of the book.

• We haven’t had time to evolve from our need to be active, but movement has all but been designed out of everyday life (in developed countries)
• We also evolved to minimise energy use: sitting and otherwise being inactive is our natural state
• The only way to get us more active again is by making it necessary, fun and sociable, just like ParkPlay!

“Sports differ from play in one key respect: whereas play is unorganised and unstructured with no particular rules or outcomes, sports are competitive physical activities between opponents according to established rules and criteria for winning.”

Daniel Lieberman, Exercised

It’s Active & Inclusive Games

ParkPlay is designed to do “what it says on the tin” – bringing play to parks. With games expertly developed for all abilities, ParkPlay creates a unique welcoming community environment that builds confidence. ParkPlay runs for 2 hours every Saturday morning and is completely free, with ParkPlay providing all the support for local people to put on ParkPlay for their community.

Games are active & inclusive, all generations play together. This month our “game of the week” is Sevens, to tie in with the Six Nations Rugby and Cone Cricket during the Cricket World Cup.

“Play is doing, building, experiencing and achieving stuff together. It builds trust & relationships which results in community”

Sean Longhurst: Experience Lead at ParkPlay and Trustee of Play England

Find your local ParkPlay

Please visit our ParkPlay Parks page to find your local ParkPlay and come and join us for your ParkPlay session. We play every Saturday morning.