The Government is being urged to implement a national ban on “no ball games” signs to help create child-friendly playful neighbourhoods to reduce the “impact “addictive grip” of smartphones.
The Raising the Nation Play Commission, which has conducted a year-long inquiry, says closures of playgrounds, busier roads, shortened school break times, and the dominance of screen time have restricted children’s opportunities to play.
It is urging the Government to establish a National Play Strategy for England, backed by an annual £125m investment and led by a “minister for play”.
“Too many of our children are spending their most precious years sedentary, doomscrolling on their phones and often alone, while their health and wellbeing deteriorates,” it said.
The commission was chaired by Paul Lindley, founder of Ella’s Kitchen, in partnership with the Centre for Young Lives think tank, which was co-founded by the former children’s commissioner for England Baroness Anne Longfield.
