Scottish government commits to investing £25m in play parks

Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, has dedicated £25 million worth of funding to local authorities to invest in the renewal of play parks across Scotland.

All councils will receive a share of the funding to improve the standard of existing play parks – helping to ensure children have access to safe environments to play and socialise in.

The funding is supported by the Play Vision Statement and Action Plan for 2025-2030, which was published last month (March 2025).

Swinney said: “Playing is key to a child’s healthy development, and by enabling councils to invest in outdoor play parks, we will ensure families can access a safe, high-quality place to play within their communities.

“This is all part of my driving mission to eradicate child poverty. Other steps we are taking include investing £3 million to develop mitigations for the UK Government’s two-child benefits cap, £37 million to deliver the expansion of the free school meals programme, and putting more money in families’ pockets through the Scottish Child Payment.”

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), the organisation for Scottish Local Government, welcomed the news.

COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People, Councillor Tony Buchanan said: “The launch of the Play Vision Statement and Action Plan is very important not just for the enjoyment it brings, but also for the part it plays in developing social skills, interests and curiosity.”