Play Streets toolkit

Welcome!

This toolkit will help you organise 'Play Street' sessions on your street. Our Play Street Scheme has been inspired by the resident-led not for profit organisation 'Playing Out'. After you've read this toolkit, you can visit their website www.playingout.net for further inspiration and ideas.

What are Play Streets?

A Play Street is a road that has been temporarily closed to through traffic to create space for children to play out on their doorsteps. Play Street sessions also provide a great chance to bring neighbours together, to get to know each other better and bring a real sense of community spirit to the street. Everyone is welcome to join in and enjoy socialising with neighbours whilst children play.

Who can apply to close their road for playing out?

Any community based organisation or resident can apply to the council for permission to close a road for up to three hours and run a Play Street session.

Not all roads are suitable for Play Street sessions. Quiet residential streets or cul-de-sacs are best. Main roads or bus routes are not suitable.

Who organises the sessions?

Although the council supports the scheme by allowing the road to be closed (and will provide Road Closed signs and cones), the Play Street sessions are organised and stewarded by local community based organisations or residents and are entirely independent from the council.

Parents and carers remain responsible for the supervision of their children during the sessions.

What about people who need access to their homes or businesses?

Although the street will be closed to through traffic, residents will still be allowed vehicle access during the Play Street session. When entering or leaving the Play Street, drivers should go very slowly (walking pace) and be aware that there may be children and families around. Stewards at the entry and exit points will remind drivers about going slowly and ask children and families to clear the area if needed.

Building support

Talk to neighbours and residents

If you're thinking of holding a Play Streets session, then the first thing you should do is find out what the other people living on the street think about the idea.

When you are talking to neighbours and residents, you could ask them to share their own memories of when they used to play out. You can also let them know that although the sessions are designed to give children a chance to play out, everyone is welcome and a Play Street session provides a great chance to bring neighbours together to chat and socialise. You can also reassure them that you're not trying to stop them going about their daily business and they will be allowed to move their vehicles on and off the street during the session if they need to.

At the bottom of this page you will find letter templates that you can use to help when letting neighbours and residents know about the idea of a Play Street. There are also frequently asked questions which may help you to answer any questions or concerns that people have.

Making it happen

Setting dates

It can take up to 4 weeks for the council to process a road closure application, and you won't be able to run your session without one so bear this in mind when thinking about dates.

A popular time for Play Street sessions are weekend afternoons (often Sundays), but some sessions run after school or even slightly later on in the evening – although a Play Street session must only take place during daylight hours. Think about a date and time that will suit the children, families and neighbours on your street and that feels manageable.

If it is your first session, then it might be a good idea to test the water and just arrange one date. If the session goes well you can apply for more dates in the future.

Other things to think about:

How long will the Play Street session last? (we will allow between 1 and 3 hours),
Will you close the whole street or just a short stretch?
Do you have enough people willing to help?

Your application

Once you have decided a date, you can apply to the council for permission.

You will need to complete the online application form. Alternatively, you can complete this application form (Word) and email it to rc@bradford.gov.uk.

Remember that it can take up to 4 weeks for the council to process applications, so plan ahead.

As part of your application, you will need to confirm that you have talked to neighbours, residents and any businesses on your street about your plans (remember we have letter templates at the bottom of this page that you can use if you want). You will also need to complete a risk assessment form (see Risk Assessment section below).

Other things to consider

Risk assessment

You'll need to do a simple risk assessment to make sure you have thought things through and minimised possible risks. There is a risk assessment template (Word) that you can use to help you with this.

Remember, there is no such thing as a completely 'risk free' environment. Accidents, such as children falling off scooters or tripping over, will happen during your Play Street Sessions just as they would in parks, playgrounds and streets on any normal day.

Also remember that even though the street will be closed, residents will be allowed to move their vehicles if they need so the street may not be completely traffic free all the time. Parents and carers should be reminded of this and should also be reminded that they are responsible for supervising their children during the session.

Stewarding and signage

To get the street ready for your Play Street session you'll need to put portable 'Road Closed' signs and cones at each closure point. These can be collected and returned from various council depots across the district and we'll provide you with more information about how to do this once your application has been processed.

Each closure point needs to be stewarded throughout the session so that the signs can be moved if residents need vehicle access. If a resident does need to enter and leave, the stewards will need to let all the children and families know. Once the street is clear of people they should move the portable road closed signs. Drivers should be encouraged to travel at walking pace and reminded that children and families are around.

The steward briefing guide (PDF) provides more details about the role of a steward. The resident led playing out movement 'Playing Out' have also developed this short training video which you may find helpful to watch as well as a longer video 'How to Steward a School Street or Play Street'.

Stewards should not engage with someone who is being aggressive. No one should physically try to confront a driver or block a vehicle if they insist on entering. Instead they should alert people to the danger by shouting or using a whistle if available.

Please note that volunteers and stewards are not responsible for children at the Play Street session. This responsibility remains with their parents or carers and should be made clear in all communications about the session.

Insurance and liability

Bradford Council processes the application to allow the road to be closed to through traffic but the Play Street sessions are organised and run by local community organisations and residents. They will place out the road closed signs at the start and end of the session and steward each vehicle access point in case any residents do need to move their cars during the session. Parents and carers remain responsible for the supervision of their children whilst they are playing out.

Bradford Council will not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage arising from the organisation of a Play Street session.

In line with the guidance issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (which states that insurance is not necessary for small scale private street parties and road closures) Bradford Council does not require organisers of Play Street sessions to arrange public liability insurance.

Reminding people

A couple of weeks before the Play Streets session remind people, including stewards and helpers, that the session is happening. If necessary, remind all families that they are responsible for supervising their own children during the sessions. You can also remind residents that they will still be allowed to enter or leave by car during the session if needed, but if doing so they should travel at walking pace and be mindful that there may be lots of children and families around.

Toys, games and equipment

In our experience, when left to their own devices, children find their own ways to play so you don't need equipment or games to run a Play Street session, although sometimes people choose to bring out chalk, long skipping ropes, hoops and bubbles. Often adults enjoy remembering and sharing games that they used to play as children such as hop-scotch, kerbie or skipping rhymes and enjoy talking to children about these.

If you do feel that you need some inspiration, you'll find some ideas for simple games which require little or no equipment below. Or you can also visit the 50 things to do website (or download the app) for some great ideas for children aged 0 to 4 and 5 to 11.

The Better Place Team (a Better Start Bradford project) also have some downloadable activity flash cards that are packed with a wide variety of easy outdoor activities for spring, summer, autumn and winter giving you suitable ideas all year round.

Bad weather

Some Play Street sessions have taken place in the rain, snow and sleet. Children often enjoy this and it can add to the sense of fun. However, if extreme weather is forecast then you do need to think about whether the session can go ahead safely (and whether the adults are happy to stand around in the wet or cold). If you do decide to go ahead, think about extra hazards, like slippery ground making trips and falls more likely or people getting cold and wet. All weather-related risks should be logged on an updated risk assessment form along with the actions you will be taking to minimise them. Remember to remind parents and carers that they are responsible for supervising their children at all times during the session.

Cleaning up

You need to make sure that the street is clear of people and children and re-opened at the time stated on your application form. You also need to make sure that the street is left in a clean and tidy condition.

Other things to have to hand on the day

Even though this is not a formal 'event' and parents and carers are responsible for supervising their own children at all times, you might want to have a basic first aid kit to hand. Remember though, if a child hurts themselves, it is up to the parent or carer to treat them, just as they would if they were playing in a park or on a pavement.

Further support

Playing Out is a resident led not for profit organisation giving practical advice and support to anybody wanting to enable children to play out safely on their streets. Our scheme in Bradford has been developed with support from them and you can find lots more support, inspiration and useful information on their website www.playingout.net