Many of us who were around in the 1970s and 1980s remember playing in the street was a daily occurrence, but with so many more cars and traffic on the road, this is an increasingly rare sight.

Yet it is so important that children and young people have good quality, outdoor spaces in which they can play.

The Oxfordshire Play Association (OPA)’s mission is to champion and support the rights of all children and young people to do just that.

OPA celebrates its 40th birthday this year. Like many other local, voluntary groups, it has seen many changes in those 40 years.

When it comes to children and play, the three biggest changes have been the loss of outdoor spaces to play, an overemphasis on Health & Safety and the increase in computer games and technology that children have access to.

Children today are called the ‘Cotton Wool’ generation, because there is such a focus on health and safety and such an aversion to any risk taking that they can’t be as adventurous and physically active as previous generations.

OPA feels it is vital that children & young people experience risky play in a well-managed way.

This helps to engage children’s imagination, and helps them learn life skills and most importantly, teaches them how to manage risks for themselves as they grow into adulthood.

It is also so important that children and young people play outside to improve not only their health & wellbeing, but also their social skills- by playing with each other.

OPA runs a series of community Play and Activity days each year where children and young people can attend with their families to try out activities available in their locality that they can continue to take part in even after the event.

OPA also promotes healthy eating in order to reduce obesity and stop food poverty.

All OPA’s projects aim to encourage children and young people to play and be active outside. OPA also works hard to help improve community cohesion — the Playday events and other projects like Playful communities actively encourage local communities to work together to make them stronger and more active.

n For further details of OPA and its work please call the office on 01865 779474, e-mail us on enquiries@oxonplay.org.uk or visit our website at www.oxonplay.org.uk