6 h. ago Amsterdam: sound of children playing not a valid reason for complaint, say experts

Sports advisory group says outdoor activity is vital for health and calls for bylaws to be changed to silence moaning neighboursResidents in one of Europe’s most densely populated cities who complain about the noise of children playing should be ignored, according to a sports advisory group which says outdoor activity is vital for their health.In new outdoor play advice, Sportraad Amsterdam (Sports Council Amsterdam) says local bylaws should be changed so that the sound of children playing is no longer a valid reason for complaint by vexed neighbours. Continue reading...

Society

3 d. ago Strict new rules for dog owners in London: Council brings in ban after spate of attacks

Under the new rules, dogs will be banned from certain areas such as gated children's play areas and sports areas and there will be a requirement for a maximum of four dogs per person.

Events

6 d. ago BBC Two’s Chess Masters: The Endgame divides opinions as winner is crowned

Thalia Holmes, 20, defeats Richie Kelly, 63, in final after former RAF technician misses a win (can you find it?)BBC Two’s Monday evening show Chess Masters: The Endgame reached its final this week amid a continuing debate between experts, who found it patronising, and social players, novices and children who enjoyed its light touch and focus on personalities. The series was placed in a testing environment, the 8pm slot, sandwiched between the intellectual heavyweights Mastermind and University Challenge.Viewer numbers, as supplied by Broadcast, peaked in the first week at 890,000, then gradually dipped to a low of 535,000 on Easter Monday before rebounding to 655,000, a 5.5% share of the viewing audience, for the final week. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Croydon sees 111% more A&E visits for toddlers than London average

National statistics show that one in three children (32 per cent) have suffered an accident or injury in playgrounds

Politics

2 w. ago The ‘lovely’ Greater Manchester park with a wildflower meadow and an orchard

It has an 'excellent children's play area' with a zip wire

Politics

2 w. ago Parents: share your experiences of behaving badly during kids’ football matches

We would like to hear from parents who sometimes get too involved when their children play footballKids’ football can be emotional. Some parents shout at their own children, others swear at officials, and a few even get into fights. We’d like to hear from parents about the times they’ve become too involved in their kids’ football matches.What has your experience been like and how did your children react? Have you noticed other parents’ behaviour on the pitch? Continue reading...

Sport

2 w. ago Swastikas painted in children's play area at popular north London park

The Met are investigating a hate crime incident after Nazi-era symbols were daubed on rocks in Stoke Newington’s Clissold Park

Politics

2 w. ago Outrage as swastikas painted in children's play area at popular north London park

The Met are investigating a hate crime incident after Nazi-era symbols were daubed on rocks in Stoke Newington’s Clissold Park

Politics

2 w. ago Playwright Asif Khan: ‘When people think about theatre, they think white people and Shakespeare’

Sisters 360, Khan’s new play for children, tells the story of two hijab-wearing skateboarding sisters in Bradford. He hopes it will upend lazy ideas around Muslim girls – and bring new audiences to the theatreAsif Khan first heard about Lena, Maysa and Ameya – the three Muslim skateboarding sisters from Hull who became social media stars in 2022 with their skills – from his mother-in-law. “She does this a lot. She’ll send me an article and say: ‘You could write a play about this,’” laughs Khan. But there was something about this particular story that piqued his interest. “They all wore the hijab, lived with their mum and had an Instagram account where they did their own raps and filmed skateboarding tricks I immediately thought: Oh OK, this is a good premise for a play.”So, he set about adapting it for the stage. He contacted the girls’ parents and had a “good, long hour’s chat”. “They were excited that someone was interested in doing a play about them,” says Kha...

Events

2 w. ago Met Police investigate hate crime at Hackney Park after swastikas painted at children's playground

The ‘abhorrent graffiti’ is being investigated by the force

Events

2 w. ago ‘Something playful’: celebrating the art of endpapers in children’s books

New exhibition in Amherst, Massachusetts, looks at the unsung art that exists on the pages that bookend much-loved kids booksOnce upon a time, endpapers – those little bits of real estate connecting the inside covers of hardcover books to the pages within – were a site of pure decoration, or maybe, as in the case of The Chronicles of Narnia, a map of a fantasy realm. More recently, illustrators have been reimagining just what endpapers can be – far from decorations or maps, they are now used to bookend and compliment the stories told in books in fascinating ways.“The illustrator Shaun Tan described them as like quotation marks or parentheses around the story,” said Bruce Handy, a journalist and children’s book author. “In his mind it’s a way of setting the story off. Kind of like an anteroom to the story, or like a transition into the story.” Continue reading...

Culture

2 w. ago Scots binmen squeal as giant rats 'plague' street where residents are scared to leave rubbish

Residents feel scared to let their children outside to play as multiple 'giant' rats gave binmen a shock on their doorstep.

Politics

2 w. ago When my children grew up, I decided it was time to have more babies... with a twist. Meet my new £50,000 family

To the casual observer, it may appear she's a devoted mother or grandmother, carefully watching over her children - both no more than six months old - as they play.

Society

3 w. ago Horror as human remains found in bags of gravel next to children's playground as police launch investigation into the discovery

The grisly discovery was made in a garden only a stone's throw away from a children's park in Lewisham, south east London last Saturday.

Events

3 w. ago Human remains found in gravel near Lewisham playground as children played metres away

The grim find was made during a community clean-up event in Lewisham

Politics

3 w. ago Body and human remains found in bags near Lewisham kids playground

A body and human remains have been found inside several bags near a children's school and playground in Lewisham, South East London, with police continuing to investigate

Politics

3 w. ago Lewisham human remains: Horror as body found in bags near kids playground

The discovery of human remains was made just metres from where children were playing in Lewisham, South East London. Police are continuing to investigate

Events

3 w. ago Kicking up a stink: row over sewage pollution blighting Cape Town’s beaches

Campaigners say authorities should be doing more to clean up waters around city of nearly 5 million peopleOn a clear summer’s day in Cape Town, the Milnerton Lagoon was serene, reflecting the bright blue sky and Table Mountain. But there was an unmistakable stench, and up close, the water was murky.A few hundred metres away, adults and children played in the water as it flowed into Table Bay. On the boardwalk, a sign read: “Polluted water: for health reasons, swimming and recreational activities are at your own risk.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Children are developing 'Fortnite accents' after spending too much time playing the video game, experts warn

Experts have warned that some children are spending so much time playing the game that they're developing 'Fortnite accents'.

Events

3 w. ago Food hall opens soft play so adults can eat street food and drink cocktails while children play

This new adventure soft play is perfect for adults and children

Society