Coming to a playground near you … the Play Rangers!

Play Ranger Festival will brighten up the school holidays

Charities providing a free play ranger service to help kids in disadvantaged communities benefit from outdoor play are launching Edinburgh’s first ever play festival. 

Funded by Inspiring Scotland, three charities working with the local authority have organized Play Ranger Week in a bid to encourage more kids to get active through outdoor play and help kids reclaim their right to play in their communities.

The initiative was launched in October last year, and weekly Play Ranger sessions in North Edinburgh are already helping get kids from age 5 up to 15 to play safely after school hours and increase parents confidence in letting their kids play in public spaces.

Over 28,000 kids across Scotland have benefited from Play Ranger projects funded by Inspiring Scotland in the past three years.

The festival will give more kids a chance to try outdoor activities like scrap play and crafts and encourage parents to find out about the benefits of play.

Organisers hope the festival will also raise awareness in the wider community about the benefits of outdoor play, with reports from rangers that play can be mistaken for anti social behaviour.

The Play Ranger Festival starts tomorrow (Monday 15 February) and will offer access to a week of free drop in sessions at a range of locations including North Edinburgh Arts, Brunstane Primary, Dumbiedykes Park and the Jake Kane Sports Centre. 

As part of Edinburgh’s Play Ranger project Community Play Rangers provide children with opportunities to access free, open access to play in streets and parks. The project is funded by Inspiring Scotland’s Go2Play fund, in partnership with the Scottish Government.

Smart Play Network, Edinburgh Leisure, North Edinburgh Arts Group and Canongate Youth provide play services as part of the project. Smart Play Network (SPN) leads on the collaboration, with rangers working with dozens of kids in Bingham and Magdalene.

Kids pick outdoor activities from den building to eating marshmallows round the campfire. Rangers are there to support as kids lead the play sessions by choosing games, construction tasks, messy play, scrap play and use props and toys provided by the rangers.

Since Smart Play Network started play ranger sessions in North Edinburgh last year the initiative has grown and grown: at first just a few children came along but now there are over forty regular attenders – most come back every week.

Megan Houchin, Manager Play Ranger at Smart Play Network said: “The play ranger approach is quite new to Edinburgh so it’s great to see this taking off in an area that is largely overlooked when it comes to opportunities for children and young people. Playing outside makes a massive difference to kids development.

“We bring a well-stocked van full of toys and equipment to each session, from tyres to paint. As soon as they see the stuff it makes them want to be more active. Choosing what they want to do stimulates their imagination.”

Partners in the project also aim to show that play is a positive way to stimulate learning and get kids more active, as rangers have reported that kids playing on the streets or in parks can be mistaken for anti social behaviour.

Megan went on: “Sometimes people express concern about anti social behaviour when it’s really just the kids need to get out and play. It’s their right to play in their own streets and parks if they are doing it safely and responsibly.

“We find the kids are very responsible. We have had kids that we have been warned about by their school. Some who teachers said would be difficult and we have not found that. Sometimes they can be a bit wild but they play with everyone and volunteer to help us tidy up.”

Local mum Sylvia Cairns said the sessions have made a big difference to her son James. “He is five and the youngest one at the sessions. He loves it and learns so much from mixing with other kids of different ages. He loves the hammock and tree climbing. It can be a fight to get him down!”

Mum of three Sylvia added: “Usually he would be sitting watching TV or play alone in the garden in evenings. I have seen a difference since he started going. He is much more confident with other kids and uses his imagination. It has also helped give him a good sense of awareness of the area. And the Rangers are so good with the kids.”

Funder Inspiring Scotland kick started the project between the three charities and the local authority.  Julia Abel, Performance Advisor at Inspiring Scotland said, “Our play ranger programme and play projects working in partnership with the Scottish Government are actively combatting barriers like parents safety concerns and helping tackle the lack of playful opportunities too many children in Scotland face too often.

“We all need to do more to encourage greater take up of outdoor play so our children don’t suffer as a result of a lack of play opportunities. We hope the festival will help raise awareness and get more children playing safely out in their communities.”