This issue of the Nowhere to Go newsletter features a new survey on 14yearolds energy expenditure and physical activity levels when playing on KOMPAN ICON. On top of that a new publication from the KOMPAN Play Institute features the universal design approach for playgrounds and the new trends in this area of playground knowledge. Enjoy!

Jeanette Fich Jespersen, International Manager of the KOMPAN Play Institute

	New survey: KOMPAN ICON “increases levels of physical activity A new survey from the University of Southern Denmark, made for the KOMPAN Play Institute, states that play on a KOMPAN ICON structure would give acceptable levels of moderate physical activity and burn calories.
	Read more and download report >>

Play for All – universal design and accessibility Every child has the right to leisure and play. Regardless of their age, nationality, gender, skin colour, social and religious back-ground, physical or intellectual abilities, children have the right to play and to play with others. Read more >>

Farnborough, UK: An inclusive playground, exiting for teenagers The King George V Park in Farnborough in England has a unique playground: it is designed with the users, it is for all ages and abilities and it is extremely challenging and fun.     Read more >>

News in brief

Days of Play in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide
Three seminars on the importance of play took place in Australia in July, all having practitioners of playground design debating themes such as play and child development, universal design practices for playgrounds and safety recommendations. Not least the participants visited a series of wonderful playgrounds. The seminars were arranged by KOMPAN Playscape.

KOMPAN ICON GROUNDS – now to be played by kids in 18 nations
Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Romania, Israel, Australia, Singapore, Jordan, Canada and the USA. All of these nations now have or are about to have at least one KOMPAN ICON digital play area.

Outdoor play favourite pastime in the Netherlands
The Dutch play advocacy organisation Jantje Beton has made a survey asking children their favourite pastimes. Outdoor play is one of three favourite self chosen activities, computer games and television being the other two. The children’s top three wishes for making outdoor play better are: more playgrounds, more play structures and more security and safety.  Read the survey
(in Dutch), carried out by Qrius for Jantje Beton:  http://www.jantjebeton.nl/images/library/Media/Qrius_Jantje%20Beton%20onderzoek.pdf

Physical exercise and learning in Scotland
Aberdeen University published a study earlier this year stating that just 15 minutes of physical activity a day boost mental ability by an average age of 10 months. 1000 children aged 8-11 years participated in the study, which is published in Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, March 2010. (Exercising attention within the classroom, Liam Hill, Justin H G Williams, Lorna Ancott, June Milne, Jenny Thomson, Jessie Greig, Val Munro, Mark Mon-Willliams, Child Health, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen City Council;  Institute of Psychological Sciences, University of Leeds.)

Coming conferences and seminars

International Conference on Playware and Robotics, 9 September 2010, Copenhagen , Denmark
For further information, please visit: www.playware.dk/conference/

IPA General Meeting conference, Karlstad, Sweden, 29 September - 1st October 2010
For further information, please visit www.ipaworld.org

‘Places and Spaces’ – Creating Child Friendly Communities 30 September 2010
Play Scotland Annual Conference,. For more info, please visit: www.playscotland.org

Child in the City, Florence (Italy) from 27 - 29 October 2010
For more info, please visit www.childinthecity.com

IFPRA World Congress Hong Kong 2010 15 – 18 November 2010
For more info, please see www.lcsd.gov.hk/specials/ifpra2010/en/index.php
 
 

Previous Nowhere to Go newsletters

November 2009
August 2009
April 2009
December 2008
August 2008

Please visit our teen website should you wish more information.

Comments? Please contact us at kompanplayinstitute@kompan.com .

Best regards