When are playgrounds re-opening?

[cantstopstressing]

Not seen any updates on this. Has anyone seen anything?

You can get away with kids missing out on certain things for a few weeks. But missing out on things as crucial as outdoor play for months is really not a good thing at all. It would actually be helpful if the kids got some exposure to covid ahead of schools returning in September

Ours opened yesterday! (England) No announcement or advertisement, just was suddenly open. I imagine they didn't want everyone flocking to it at once.
Been too busy over the weekend of course, but will be taking my girl tomorrow!

What area are you in @IrisPurple ? Wonder if they will do the same round here

Kids have been on our local playground all week, they are not supposed to be, but there is no fence and the tape was gone long ago. My kids are a bit older so not bothered about playgrounds but the younger ones need that gross motor play.

I was wondering this too. It's fine running round the grass but climbing, sliding, swinging would just break it up a bit.
Theres a single swing by us that hasn't been taped off well it might of been at first but hasnt been since march
I'm debating taking ds2 on it for 10 minutes next week. Hes old enough to know not to lick the swing so I think the risk is minimal.

We drove past several playgrounds today - all of them had older kids in them :-( ... I think it’s time they were reopened

It flies in the face of what we’ve previously been told over and over - councils spending millions on play equipment, pitches, park maintenance in the name of children’s health and wellbeing.

Now apparently none of that matters and they should stay cooped up in homes for the foreseeable.

It's hugely frustrating. I've emailed my MP, a tory who said not much, as ever. I'm trying to start a petition but that has to wait until it is approved after getting 5 signatures. (prob have outed myself nicely as stuck my complaints all over Instagram! )
A comment on it at least would be good.

I have also e-mailed my MP about it, and he said it is up to SAGE when they are safe to reopen and it is under constant review. I don’t genuinely believe they sit and discuss playgrounds specifically every day, but I’m hoping if enough people complain, the MPs will bring it up. He did say he had had a lot of e-mails from concerned parents on lack of provision for children.

@Hileni started a petition to reopen playgrounds.

Please sign it here if you agree:
www.change.org/reopenplaygrounds

Yeah, the government have people’s lives and an economy to worry about. They don’t gaf about playgrounds and nor should they.

I'm in Devon where infection rates are very low. I want them open right now

and nor should they
The government cared enough to specifically close them, they have a duty to allow them to reopen now.

The park in my area was open this weekend?

@cinammon

This is about playgrounds not parks. Parks have been open in England almost throughout.

Children's lives - their development, so the rest of their lives - are affected by playgrounds closing. Or don't children count as people?

@Toilenstripes having a previously happy and bubbly child, now feeling tearful and hopeless on a daily basis, actually I do think they need to talk about it!

@Floatyboat yes the park and the playground was open.

Hi, I've made a petition to reopen the park. I used a lot of really brilliant points made by PP on a different thread and one I made about playgrounds needing to be reopened as i'd never be able to word it so articulately myself.

Ive also emailed my MP

www.change.org/reopenplaygrounds

By park I mean playground / play park.

Still locked here at the weekend and they'd chained the one swing not in the actual fenced off playground to the poles to make sure no one used that either. Can't have children having fun or enjoyment in life can we.

I thought they had already opened as the one near me was covered in children at the weekend.

I agree that they need to open. This is having such a negative affect on our children. Even teenagers. My 15 yr old has gone from a happy bubbly girl to suffering with anxiety and anorexia. I know this may have been bubbling away under the surface but this whole lack of contact with others has made it so much worse.

It is ridiculous. The likelihood of another child on the park having covid is tiny, the likelihood of transmission outdoors for touching items is tiny, the likelihood of a child under 10 getting actually ill from covid is tiny. A tiny risk x tiny risk x tiny risk = minuscule risk.

Of course some people would prefer to avoid that minuscule risk and if they choose not to send their children to play areas that is their decision. But let us make our own risk assessments please!

Hileni, thank you SO much. Meaning to do the same for ages and not found time. Signed and will share. Yes, swings here are tied together. Sorry but absolute shits. My son and his mate managed to free one up so our toddler could have a go as he's desperate. I simply cannot believe that we have crowds of people out in the shops yet we can't open playgrounds???

Everyone is using the playgrounds round here. Have been since about the end of last week (NW England)