On a damp Tuesday morning in a London primary school, a group of eight-year-olds are asked how often they play outside in a real green space – not a car park, not a corridor, not a screen-lit bedroom. For many, the answer is “almost never.” In one of the richest countries in the world, growing numbers of children are growing up with barely any contact with nature.
This quiet crisis is at the heart of a new push by Cat Hickey, the Children’s Commissioner for England, who argues that access to nature is not a luxury or an optional extra, but a basic ingredient of childhood.From mental health and physical advancement to education and social connection, Hickey insists that the presence – or absence – of trees, parks, rivers and wild spaces in children’s lives is shaping their futures in ways policymakers can no longer afford to ignore.
In an era of shrinking play spaces, widening inequalities and a mounting climate emergency, the question is no longer whether nature is “nice to have” for children, but why so many are being denied it – and what it would take to put the natural world back within every child’s reach.
Unequal paths to the park How access to green space shapes childhood in England
For some children,the park is a familiar extension of home life – a place for muddy knees,scraped elbows and casual games that spill into dusk. For others, it is an occasional treat at the end of two bus rides, a route that feels unsafe, or a space that simply doesn’t exist within walking distance. In England, the quality and proximity of green space can vary dramatically from one postcode to the next, shaping how children move, play and even imagine their futures. Where safe, attractive parks are close at hand, children are more likely to play outdoors, build friendships across backgrounds and develop confidence and independence.Where they are absent or neglected, families report shorter playtimes, higher screen use and a sense that the “best bits” of childhood belong to somebody else’s neighbourhood.
These differences are not random; they map onto wider inequalities in housing, income and planning decisions that have favoured car parks over playgrounds and retail space over community land. Children tell us that what matters is not just having a park,but whether it feels welcoming,safe and designed with them in mind. In discussions with families, the same themes recur:
- Distance: long or complex routes deter regular visits, especially for younger children.
- Safety: poorly lit paths, busy roads and antisocial behaviour all restrict independent play.
- Quality: broken equipment, litter and lack of toilets shorten visits and exclude some families.
- Belonging: spaces that feel “for adults” or “for dog walkers” can quietly shut children out.
| Neighbourhood | Walk to nearest park | Children’s weekly visits |
|---|---|---|
| Inner city estate | 25 minutes along main road | Once, with an adult |
| Suburban cul-de-sac | 5 minutes via quiet paths | Most days, frequently enough unsupervised |
| Rural village | No formal park, fields nearby | Informal play, seasonal access |
From wellbeing to learning Why nature is essential for every child’s development
For a child, a patch of grass, a scruffy hedgerow, or a city park can be as powerful as any classroom. Time outside calms racing minds, lowers stress hormones, and gives children the space to process emotions that are frequently enough squeezed out of crowded timetables and small bedrooms. In green spaces, anxious shoulders drop and breathing slows. Children who struggle to sit still or focus indoors often find it easier to regulate themselves when they can move freely, feel the wind on their faces and simply look up at the sky. These daily micro-moments of contact with the living world shape resilience, confidence and a sense of belonging that no worksheet can replicate.
Nature also acts as a living laboratory where concepts jump off the page and into children’s hands.A fallen leaf becomes a lesson in biology, a puddle an experiment in physics, and a birdsong survey a first step into data collection and numeracy. Outdoors, learning becomes more inclusive: children who may be quieter or less confident in customary classrooms often shine when tasks are practical, collaborative and rooted in real surroundings. Activities that link curriculum goals to outdoor experiences can be simple yet powerful, such as:
- Story trails that turn local parks into immersive literacy adventures.
- Mini habitat surveys that introduce science through bugs, bark and birds.
- Outdoor maths challenges using leaves, stones and shadows as tools.
| Outdoor activity | Key benefit |
|---|---|
| Tree climbing | Risk assessment & confidence |
| Nature sketching | Observation & concentration |
| Garden planting | Patience & responsibility |
Barriers on the doorstep Exposing the social and geographic gaps in outdoor access
Across England, children’s chances of playing under trees or skimming stones still depend heavily on their postcode and parents’ income. Data from local authorities and charities reveals that some neighbourhoods offer tree-lined parks, traffic-calmed streets and organised activities, while others present only busy roads, locked school fields and “no ball games” signs. These are not just inconveniences; they are structural inequalities.Low-income families are more likely to live in areas with fewer safe green spaces, higher pollution and limited transport links, while disabled children and those from minority ethnic communities can face additional barriers such as inaccessible paths, unwelcoming signage or a lack of culturally appropriate provision. The result is a quiet exclusion from the benefits of fresh air, friendship and freedom that outdoor play brings.
- Cost of travel and equipment – bus fares, parking and kit put nature out of reach for many.
- Unsafe routes – heavy traffic, poor lighting and no cycle lanes limit independent exploration.
- Lack of inclusive design – few wheelchair-pleasant paths, sensory spaces or quiet areas.
- Cultural and social barriers – fear of discrimination, over-policing and feeling “out of place”.
| Area Type | Average Walk to Nearest Park | Perceived Safety for Children |
|---|---|---|
| Urban, affluent | 5-10 mins | High |
| Urban, deprived | 20+ mins | Low |
| Rural village | Car journey | Mixed |
These patterns show that geography and social status frequently enough intersect to deny children everyday contact with the natural world. A child growing up on a congested estate without a local park may spend most of their free time indoors, while a peer just a few miles away can roam woodlands after school. Where children live, how safe they feel, and whether adults around them trust public spaces all dictate who gets to build dens and who stays behind curtains. To narrow these gaps, local and national decision-makers must treat access to nature as basic infrastructure for childhood – as essential as schools, transport and digital connectivity – and design streets, estates and green spaces accordingly.
Putting nature within reach Policy actions schools councils and families can take now
Transforming children’s daily experience of the outdoors does not require waiting for national legislation. It starts with small, coordinated decisions. Schools can timetable regular outdoor learning,open playgrounds before and after lessons,and partner with local charities to run nature clubs for pupils who rarely leave built-up estates. Councils can prioritise safe walking routes, plant trees on streets where children live, and protect “micro-wild” spaces like canal banks and pocket parks from development. Families, meanwhile, can lead the cultural shift: normalising weekend walks instead of defaulting to screens, lobbying headteachers for greener school grounds, and joining friends to share lifts or equipment so that no child is left behind for want of bus fare or wellies.
When these actors work together, nature stops being a luxury and becomes part of the social infrastructure that supports children’s health and learning. Simple measures-such as mapping free outdoor spaces on school websites, publishing termly “green timetables”, or involving pupils in local planting days-signal that greenery is as essential as textbooks. To guide decision-makers, the table below sets out a few realistic, near-term options.
| Who | Action | Impact on Children |
|---|---|---|
| Schools |
|
Boosts focus, reduces stress |
| Councils |
|
Makes everyday play safer and cleaner |
| Families |
|
Builds confidence and belonging outdoors |
The Conclusion
Ensuring every child can step outside and find space to breathe, explore and belong is not a luxury; it is indeed a basic ingredient of a fair childhood. As the evidence mounts on nature’s role in supporting children’s physical health, mental wellbeing and sense of agency, the question is no longer whether access to green space matters, but why it remains so unevenly distributed.
Cat Hickey’s call,as Children’s Commissioner for England,is ultimately a test of national priorities. If policymakers take seriously their duty to children,then safe,welcoming and nearby natural spaces must be planned into housing,transport and education – not added as an afterthought. That will mean investment, political will and a clear expectation that children’s needs shape the environments they grow up in.
For the current generation of children, the stakes are immediate: a chance to climb, imagine and recover from the pressures of modern life.For the generations that follow, they are even higher. A childhood rooted in nature is the foundation of an adulthood that understands its value – and is prepared to protect it.
