Play

Play in the Royal Parks

For many years, The Royal Parks has provided high-quality places where our visitors can play. The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, which opened in Kensington Gardens in 2000, led the way in encouraging children to explore and follow their imaginations, while our children's playground in St James's Park provides opportunities for natural play in a historic setting.

The Hyde Park Senior Playground is an exciting new addition to play in the Royal Parks. The free outdoor playground includes six pieces of exercise equipment especially designed for older people to enjoy.

Recent improvements

Recently, we refurbished play areas and added new equipment. We installed a wooden climbing frame near Gloucester Gate Playground in The Regent's Park. This has created an accessible and challenging play space now enjoyed by visitors of all ages.

New features have been installed in Hanover Gate Playground in The Regent's Park, including a play sculpture, water play area and a tree house style platform.

In 2009, we refurbished the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground. This £150,000 project repaired many of the popular features and added a play tunnel, see-saw, water pump, sand chutes, timber pergola and new planting.

More improvements throughout the parks are coming soon.

Natural play

The beautiful settings of our parks offer tremendous opportunities for natural play. Children and young people can get in touch with nature by, for example, playing with fallen leaves, balancing on logs, climbing over boulders or splashing about in water. The result can be a feeling of wonder, a sense of place and stimulated creativity. We apply the principles of natural play throughout The Royal Parks and we're now developing them further in three new natural play projects. These ideas are also being promoted by the Government and other organisations, such as Play England and Cabe Space.

Three new natural play projects

We're working with Westminster City Council on new natural play areas in The Regent's Park and Kensington Gardens. Click here for details.

More improvements coming soon

We're planning other exciting improvements, including changes at Buck Hill and Primrose Hill playgrounds. Click here for details.

Future play

We're also planning ahead so that we continue to provide excellent play facilities for all ages in The Royal Parks. Click here for details of our play strategy.