Craven District Council maintains and inspects a number of play areas in the Skipton area.  These play areas offer a stimulating and enjoyable experience for toddlers and juniors alike.

Craven has 5 play areas for your enjoyment.  The play areas are located at Aireville Park (toddler and junior facilities), Craven Swimming Pool, Sharphaw Avenue and Whinny Gill Road on the Greatwood and Horseclose estates.

Children’s Play in Craven

Children’s Play in Craven is important.

As a direct response to the government’s report ‘Getting Serious about Play’, funding was made available through the Big Lottery and two projects were identified by the Craven Play Partnership:

• The Craven Play Rangers Project

• The ‘Better Play for All’ Project.

Work will commence on these projects in Spring 2008.

The Craven Play Rangers Project

The Craven Play Rangers Project (CPRP) will consist of a team of three detached community play rangers, focused primarily in the rural area of Craven, enabling free, inclusive play opportunities to a diverse range of 8 16 year olds which will include different cultures, faiths and abilities.  All children and young people will be free to come and go, free to so what they want while there and the service will be free of charge.  Under 8’s will be welcomed, but must be accompanied by an adult.

This Project will be managed through South Craven Community Action

The ‘Better Play for All’ Project

Taking inspiration from the rich natural heritage of the Yorkshire Dales, the Better Play for All project will transform an outdated and under-used playground in the Broughton Road area of Skipton, into an exciting and challenging natural play space for children and young people from 2 – 12 years old, complementing the nearby multi-use games area, available to older children.

This Project will be managed through Skipton Town Council

The Vision for Children’s Play in Craven

The vision for the future of Craven is a child friendly district where all children and young people are fully included and valued, where there is widespread understanding and support for the need for play and where communities, children, young people and parents and providers, work in partnership to create excellent play provision that fosters fun, creativity, participation and an element of risk.

The Craven Strategy for Play aims to support and create better play opportunities for all the children and young people in Craven up to the age of 19.