As North Shields prepares its bid for Town of Culture, the conversation often turns to galleries, music venues and festivals. While these are vital, we must remember that a child’s first introduction to culture isn’t found in a museum – it’s found on their own doorstep.
Children’s play is the purest form of cultural expression. When a child chalks on a pavement or invents a game with neighbours, they are building the creative foundations that lead to a lifelong love of the arts. Recently, I met with Professor Alison Stenning, a local resident, who has spent years championing this idea. Having run the Play Streets scheme across North Tyneside, she views these sessions as more than just physical activity.
As she explains:
“Play is children’s culture… it’s how kids start learning to be creative and coming up with ideas and testing things out.”
The North Tyneside Play Streets scheme is a resident-led initiative supported by North Tyneside Council, allowing neighbours to temporarily close their roads to through traffic for up to three hours. By reclaiming these spaces, a simple thoroughfare is transformed into a communal stage for all sorts of fun activities.
Alison has lived in North Shields for 15 years and says that this isn’t just about nostalgia for times gone by when children played outside by default. Instead, it is about creating modern, safe spaces where different generations can meet.
The impact of these sessions is measurable. Her research found that 80-90% of residents felt safer and had a stronger sense of belonging on participating streets. It turns strangers into neighbours, creating support networks where residents might finally meet people they’ve lived next to for decades.
As we look toward the Town of Culture bid, let’s ensure our children and young people are at the centre of the vision. By supporting initiatives like Play Streets, we aren’t just making our roads safer; we are cultivating the very culture we hope to celebrate.
How to Get Involved
Residents can apply for free to close their street, typically once a month on a Sunday. The process requires consulting neighbours and giving at least six weeks’ notice.
For more information see https://playingout.net/play-streets/grow-it-locally/
Or visit https://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/youth-hub/things-do/play-streets
