Most town and community councils in Ceredigion that responded to a county council survey on the state of play opportunities for children in the county said that outdated equipment and a lack of funding were the “biggest barriers” to getting children active.

The outcome of a survey, conducted for the council’s Play Efficiency Assessment 2025, will be presented to members of the Healthier Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 5 March.

Survey results showed that eight town and community councils in Ceredigion responded to the survey, with six saying ‘outdated equipment’, and five saying ‘lack of funding’ were the “biggest barrier to play in their community.”

Four of the eight also said that play options in their communities were not inclusive for children and young people with disabilities or learning needs.

Survey responses from 210 children found that just over half play with friends ‘most days’, with the park or playground being the most popular destination.

41 per cent of children said there were ‘lots of good places’ to play where they lived.

Nurseries and pre-schools who responded to the survey said lack of space and lack of resources were the “biggest barrier to delivering or promoting play opportunities.”

14 primary schools in the county responded to the survey and echoed the findings from the nurseries and pre-schools with 11 of 14 citing ‘lack of resources’ as the biggest barrier.

The report said: “The feedback from children and young people highlights both the strengths and challenges of current play provision in Ceredigion.

“While many children enjoy playing with friends most days, barriers such as a lack of safe places to play, limited access to suitable spaces in rural areas, and the weather are preventing some from engaging in regular play.

“Although an improvement had been seen in the amount of provision in rural communities, there is still a lack of suitable play spaces in local areas, as well as a need to travel to access play opportunities.

“The feedback from town and community councils provides valuable insight into the play opportunities available across Ceredigion, as well as the challenges faced by the councils responsible for managing play parks.

“The most commonly identified concerns were outdated equipment, lack of funding, and lack of public transport.

“Other challenges mentioned included dog mess, litter, rurality, and the use of play areas by other groups, such as adults, older children, and bullies.

“There was also some uncertainty about whether current play opportunities were inclusive for children and young people with disabilities or additional learning needs.

“However, many councils expressed a desire to improve their provision and make their play areas more accessible and inclusive, with funding being cited as a major barrier.”

A Play Action Plan will now be developed with ‘core actions’ including to improve play provision in rural areas; improve Welsh Language play provision; ensure there are accessible play opportunities for young carers; ensure there are single-gender play opportunities available; and to work with key partners to design and deliver sustainable outdoor community activities.