Neighbourhood Backyard Networks
A local solution to support children to be able to play every day, where they live.
A Neighbourhood Backyard is a public space where children and their families can come to access a shared area to play and connect. In Neighbourhood Backyards, children can play with their friends in a space supervised by local qualified adults who understand how to support high-quality child-led play. These spaces are play sanctuaries, and the Playworkers work hard to preserve and protect play.
Australian Institute of Play has established 2 Neighbourhood Backyards in the city of Logan - Joomunjie Land and Freedom Fortress, where local children are able to engage in high-quality child-led play.
By 2035, we aim to grow/inspire a vast network Neighbourhood Backyards for children, families and communities across Australia and to renormalize local play, every day where children live. Begin influencing the generational shift to include local play, and measure, capture and share this process. It is a replicable process, requiring localise will and determination. We have a strong process for finding communities willing to drive this initiative and reclaim amazing childhoods for their children.
Get in touch if you would like to explore setting up a NBY in your area.
THE NBY PHILOSOPHY
“3 Frees”
1. Free to choose to participate (children come voluntarily)
2. Free (no cost) to attend
3. Free to do as you please (you can choose what activity you want to do
Children and adults report that outcomes of a Neighbourhood Backyard include, improving physical and mental health, improved self-regulation, positive self-concept, social skills, building a sense of community, connecting to place, space and people, increasing community pride, reducing local stigma, being a safe space for children, increased cultural safety, motor skill developments and opportunity to play outdoors.
Hear what children think of think about Neighbourhood Backyards, how these spaces change their days and all the incredible outcomes achieved through protecting play children.
Scalability & Critical Success Factors of NBY's
This is how we can all help influence a positive change for childhood.
NBY's are a positive, low cost and achievable solution to address many of the barriers to play for children.
The NBY is replicable and achievable at a local level. Also scalable across neighbourhood to neighbourhood, and can support local communities to take the lead, drive positive change for their children and help restore connectivity and cohesion one neighbourhood at time.
Each NBY is unique and an expression of the community, the children who come to play, the various cultures, the grown-up's who help supervise, and the surrounding environment.
Below are the results of a critical analysis using a reflective tool to determine the critical factors both helping and hindering success in the current NBY's.
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Follow the stories of these Neighbourhood Backyards via their social media pages
The Australian Institute of Play supported the creation of Queensland’s first Neighbourhood Backyard located in Eagleby. Watch the video below to hear from the Principal from Eagleby South State School. To learn more about this Neighbourhood Backyard model in practice, head to the Joomunjie Land page here! Queensland’s second Neighbourhood Backyard was launched in 2024 in Yarrabilba, and after extensive community consultation, the children have called it "Freedom Fortress".
What to Join the Neighbourhood Backyard Network?
If you are interested in creating your own neighbourhood backyard, contact us for more information!
hello@australianinstituteofplay.org
Joomunjie Land
Freedom Fortress
