A “Commission on Play” has been launched this month by the social entrepreneur Paul Lindley, partnered with the Centre for Young Lives. Set up to stimulate a national conversation about how to support children to play more, it will explore the impact of technology, access to outdoor space and parental attitudes. But in the brief, other than a glancing reference to the “no ball games” culture, there’s no mention of sport as we understand it. This in itself shows how a child’s experience of play has become disconnected from sport.
Now I don’t think sport should be front and centre; this is a huge topic about the way we live our lives across society. But this commission offers a sharp prod up the backside of the sports world to ask itself about its contribution to the diminishing experiences of play in children’s lives over recent decades.
