London - Playing outdoors with friends has always been an integral part of growing up.
But now a council has decided today’s children need a 13-point checklist telling them exactly how to do it.
The “outdoor play code” includes instructions such as “don’t climb over walls”, “try not to shout” and “don’t play in one place for a long time”. Youngsters are also warned to keep play areas tidy, that playing on roads can be illegal and to ask before retrieving balls from neighbours’ gardens.
The briefing was posted through doors in North Tyneside after a resident complained of children playing ball games in local roads.
Families called the code condescending and ridiculous. Sally Farn, 55, whose two grandchildren live with her, said: “They aren’t allowed to play in the street but there’s nothing else for them to do round here. This is a stupid set of rules. They should back off and let the kids play.”
A father-of-two who lives on one of the roads affected, said: “They tell you not to play out alone on the play code, but then the letter said the problem has been children in groups.”
A North Tyneside Council spokesman said: “We get complaints about a tiny minority of young people upsetting some residents. In order to be fair to everyone, we have a play code.”
Daily Mail