London Play

Working for a capital where all children can play

Play streets in London timeline

For centuries London's children have played out on the streets. The Victorians often locked-up children caught playing out on the cobbles but by the 20th century, alarmed by the rise of traffic accidents involving children, politicians were moved to action.

Looking to the USA for inspiration, Play Streets were passed into English Law in 1938 and provided local authorities with the powers to close streets for children to play out on between 8:00am and sunset.

By the 1950s there were 700 Play Streets in England and Wales - by the 1980s Play Streets were all but forgotten.

This illustrated timeline charts the rise and fall of Play Streets and points toward Play Street signs and their accompanying apple-green kerb paint returning to the capital.

Download the timeline below.