We realise when we get older, that some of our most treasured memories cost very little or indeed nothing at all. With this in mind, one of our staff members, developed the Play in the Park project, which has brought children together in local parks, to take part in free games, sports, and arts and crafts.

This summer, our ‘Play in the Park’ project has seen more children than ever join in at the free ‘pop-up’ activity events designed for children between 3 and 10 years.

With the approval of the local council, and led by one of our own KidsOut staff, Louise Sherwood, with the help of a group of volunteers, Louise, approached organisations that provided activities for children, and asked if they would volunteer a few hours of their time to help out at the events.

What started out as a response to families, some of whom KidsOut already supported, looking for low-cost activities during the long summer holidays, has grown significantly. Now, at the largest Play in the Park event, children can partake in giant outdoor games of Connect 4, Jenga, snakes and ladders, and draughts. They can even have football coaching, cheerleading sessions, and join in with several arts and crafts activities.

The Play in the Park events have provided a lifeline to parents and carers during the expensive school summer holiday.

KidsOut plan to create a Guide for volunteers wishing to host their own park event next year.