Bush tracks and backyards : intergenerational changes and challenges for children claiming play spaces

Play is among the most fundamental behaviours human beings engage in (Pellegrini, 2009). Through play, children obtain lifelong physical, cognitive and social skills. However, recent shifts in social attitudes have resulted in a generation of children for whom play, notably that which is conducted independently of direct parental supervision has drastically declined (O’Brien, Jones, Sloan and Rustin, 2000). This study has drawn upon the research of Kinoshita (2009); and Skår and Krogh (2009), and reflects upon past studies of intergenerational play. This study is an Australian-based case study of the changing patterns of children’s capacity to play independently within their communities through investigating how contextual changes and parental attitudes have shaped children’s play experiences, and how lived play experiences of children in the current generation compares and contrasts to previous generations. Based in Westleigh, New South Wales, this study is focused on the changes in play experienced by children during the past four decades. The unique nature of this site provides insights into the factors impacting independent play in the broader Australian context