Lester's Yard - Adventure Playground

Adventure Playground Stats

Number of children every month

Number of smiles made

Number of nails used

Welcome to Lester’s Yard!

Situated in Ballaughton Park, in the Hills Ward area of Douglas; Lester’s Yard, is an Adventure Playground named in memory of our good friend Stuart Lester.  Stuart unexpectedly died in 2017 and was a leading thinker and lecturer (Gloucestershire University) in the field of Play and Playwork.

The Adventure Playground is a place which is solely dedicated to children’s play – Lester’s is free to access; children can play freely, build dens, grow and cook food and enjoy all the kind of opportunities that have sadly started to disappear from our communities.

Lester’s will be staffed by our team of skilled playworkers who will facilitate the ownership and development of the space with the children.

Open after school from 4.15pm-6pm October Half Term 10am-12pm to children and young people aged 4-17,  all abilities are welcome.

We anticipate seeing hundreds of children every week at this soon to open and exciting new project.

Click below to register your Child

Our Ethics

Here at Isle of Play we proudly adopt the Playwork Principles. These Principles establish the professional and ethical framework for playwork and as such must be regarded as a whole. They describe what is unique about play and playwork, and provide the playwork perspective for working with children and young people. They are based on the recognition that children and young people’s capacity for positive development will be enhanced if given access to the broadest range of environments and play opportunities.
Playwork Principles in full (Click to Expand)
1. All children and young people need to play. The impulse to play is innate. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity, and is fundamental to the healthy development and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

2. Play is a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. That is, children and young people determine and control the content and intent of their play, by following their own instincts, ideas and interests, in their own way for their own reasons.

3. The prime focus and essence of playwork is to support and facilitate the play process and this should inform the development of play policy, strategy, training and education.

4. For playworkers, the play process takes precedence and playworkers act as advocates for play when engaging with adult led agendas.

5. The role of the playworker is to support all children and young people in the creation of a space in which they can play.

6. The playworker’s response to children and young people playing is based on a sound up to date knowledge of the play process, and reflective practice.

7. Playworkers recognise their own impact on the play space and also the impact of children and young people’s play on the playworker.

8. Playworkers choose an intervention style that enables children and young people to extend their play. All playworker intervention must balance risk with the developmental benefit and wellbeing of children.

Find Us Here

Isle of Play Adventure Playground