A national petition has been launched calling for mandatory shade planning in all new and upgraded playgrounds after parents raised concerns about high UV exposure and heat making play equipment unsafe.
The petition, started by parenting app Roam with Kids, quickly gathered over 1,600 signatures and highlights how most playgrounds lack adequate shade, making them unsafe during peak sun hours and largely unusable in summer without protection. 78% of parents surveyed said they avoid playgrounds in summer due to UV concerns, and 89% would trade playground equipment for shade in designs. The petition urges councils to treat shade as a core safety consideration alongside requirements for other equipment.
