When children are engaged and involved in decision making it improves their wellbeing and their connection to community. #
Bringing Play Back to Our Streets #
Play isn’t just fun—it’s essential for children’s development. It builds confidence, strengthens friendships, and encourages independence. However, many children today don’t have the same freedom to play in their neighbourhoods as previous generations did. Speeding traffic, lack of safe crossings, and limited play spaces mean children are spending more time indoors.
Through Street Play Workshops, we empower children to share their experiences and ideas for safer streets, ensuring their voices are heard in urban planning and community decision-making.
An example of this work is the Bassendean Kids Street Party, where children took centre stage in designing a more child-friendly street environment. Leading up to the event, VCI facilitated workshops where children discussed road safety concerns and proposed solutions to make their streets safer.
The event itself transformed a quiet residential street into a vibrant play space, with kids running their own stalls, families gathering on front lawns, and the community coming together to support child-led change. The insights gathered from these workshops are now being compiled into a report for the Town of Bassendean, shaping its first-ever Street Play Policy
We know that Bassendean is just the beginning. Across Australia, children deserve streets where they can play freely and safely. If you’d like to host a Street Play Workshop in your local area, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you’re a parent, community leader, or council member, VCI can support you in creating spaces that prioritise children’s needs.
Let’s work together to bring play back to our streets and make our communities safer for all children!
Click the links below to view the reports.
Bassendean Street Play Project (Kids version) - Your perspectives on road safety to increase street play.
Bassendean Street Play Project (Adult version) - Children's perspectives on road safety to increase street play.
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