Monthly Archives: February 2012

After the death of a child, a coroner calls for a ban on popcorn. Is he right?

Any civilised society feels a collective wave of grief at the news of the death of a child. When that child has died from something as apparently innocuous as a piece of popcorn, our sense of tragedy is compounded. When we are in the presence of a family whose sense of loss we know to be overpowering, we can feel a correspondingly overwhelming urge to make things right again. To try to offer the bereaved the consolation that, while their own child may no longer be with them, at least no one else will suffer like they have.

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Mimicry and mockery: the latest Trafalgar Square sculpture

Bronze statue of rocking horseA quick post to alert you to the latest sculpture on Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth. I haven’t seen it in the flesh, but my initial reaction is: how subversive and playful!

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School playtime bans: a former head speaks out

photo of Juliet RobertsonA few days ago former primary school head teacher Juliet Robertson got in touch after reading my blog post on the school that banned children from having best friends. Juliet is now a leading educational consultant; her blog I’m a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here! is for my money one of the most lively, creative outdoor learning sites on the web. She had some fascinating insights on the topic of school bans, and agreed to share them here. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what Juliet has to say – especially if you have worked in schools yourself.

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Schoolchildren banned from playing hide-and-seek – and that’s just for starters

A school in England has recently banned children from playing hide-and-seek. It has also banned children from writing notes to each other. It has also – and this truly stretches credibility – banned children from having best friends.

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London leads the way with new planning guidance

Cover of draft GLA SPG on playThe Mayor of London has today released draft revised planning guidance for outdoor play, entitled Shaping Neighbourhoods: Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation. The document shows that London’s decision-makers continue to take seriously the play needs of the capital’s children and young people.

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Care about cities and children? You must read this book

A brief post, to flag up a wonderful opportunity to get under the skin of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, written in 1961 by Jane Jacobs.

City Builder Book Club » Mary Rowe on the Introduction: Why you will read and reread this book.

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