British Pathe

Reel 2. Panning shot of a playground with a large sand pit full of children. C/U of the door of a bus which has a cartoon Red Indian painted on the side. Pan up to show boys leaning out of bus windows. The children climb over the bus. Norman's Park playground in Fulham. Another aim of the National Playing...

Reel 2. Panning shot of a playground with a large sand pit full of children. C/U of the door of a bus which has a cartoon Red Indian painted on the side. Pan up to show boys leaning out of bus windows. The children climb over the bus. Norman's Park playground in Fulham. Another aim of the National Playing Fields Association is to encourage the development of new ideas in playground design. Lots of kids clamber over a commando climbing net. A woman in black coat and hat blows a whistle and beckons a boy to her. He stands beside her and she ticks him off for something, waving her finger. HA of the boy looking up at her. Children swarm around the playground. A group of youngsters run along, some of the girls are skipping. C/U of children playing in and around a truck which has the words: "Hurlingham Flying Squad" the side. C/U of a freckled girl smiling and talking. C/U of a young boy at the driving wheel. Two boys play with a boat in a very shallow paddling pool. C/U of a boy drinking from a water fountain. High angle panning shot of a playground with paddling pool and rocking horses. High angle shots of children climbing up steps of slide, then of them sliding down. POV shot sliding down the slide - presumably the cameraman had a go. Various shots of children, including one boy in school uniform - coming down the slide. Children stand on the steps of the slide and wave at the camera. C/U of a sign which reads Sayes Court. High angle of large playground. Voiceover speaks of the National Health Service and of how rich or poor children all need "proper outlets for their animal spirit." Shots of children on swings. Climbing frame with lots of children swarming over it. Rocking horse with a rather stern elderly lady watching over the children who play on it. Narrator talks of the differences of equipment in richer areas and poorer areas. "...the equipment may be more modest, the happiness of the youngsters is just as complete." Panning shot of lots of children in a sand pit, then crowds of children on a roundabout. Low angle shot of a tall chimney pans down to show children walking to a playground in Deptford. At a playground on the South Bank children clamber over a model ocean liner called: "Festival Queen." A very small girl with Shirley Temple curls turns the wheel of the ship in C/U. High angle of the ship which turns out to be a pretty groovy modern sand pit. Many children at play. C/U of girls crawling in tunnels which are part of the ship. Girl looks up at her mates as they jump off the ship into the sand.

Pan across a truck - the same as one seen earlier, this time with "South Bank Flying Squad" painted on the side. One of the boys inside the truck is holding a toy gun. C/U of the young boy driving with friends crammed into the truck all around him. C/U of tiny boy climbing into the truck. Various shots of children playing in a model steam engine. "...just give them something to capture their imagination, they will provide the work part of the fun, the dreams and the doing, don't amuse them - stimulate them..." C/U of a street corner - sign reads: "Clydesdale Road" A group of children run along holding bits and pieces of wood. An experimental playground in Kensington. The children put pieces of junk onto a small fire. This is a bomb site where children played amongst the rubbish and this was obviously what they enjoyed. A local committee created a playground from junk. Shots of the children swinging on tires, climbing down ropes attached to ruined coal bunkers and walking around on the mud on stilts. C/Us of children walking on stilts and fantastic shots of a group of boys playing cowboys and Indians. Complete mayhem with toy guns, cowboy outfits, bows and arrows, a French flag, spades, bandanas, etc. All played out against a backdrop of bomb damage. Great C/U of a boy in a cowboy outfit shooting his gun from behind a tree trunk. The play leader is mentioned but he is there to guide the activities, not to direct them. C/U of the entrance to a "Pets Corner" at Crystal Palace. Children queue up to pay for Pony Rides and Animal Snacks. A child is lifted onto a pony. L/S of children being walked around on ponies. Various shots of children stroking all manner of pets - rabbits, sheep, lambs, goats etc. etc. Sign telling children about the play space in Holland Park. Girls in school uniform walk to the play area. Various shots of children working together to build a camp out of branches. Boys lift large logs and girls pass branches up to boys balanced on top of their construction. Various shots of happy, smiling children.

Note: excellent film with great voiceover about the importance of playing fields and playgrounds to keep children off the street and out of mischief. Great shots of children at play in all sorts of environment. The "junk playground" sequence is especially good.