Bath Area Play Project (BAPP) is a local voluntary organisation and registered charity. It was set up in 1979 to provide and promote quality play opportunities for school age children during school holidays.

Since we began, thousands of children have attended and enjoyed one of our open-access holiday playschemes, playdays and family play sessions. They have exercised their right to play and their development has been enhanced and enriched by the unique play experience BAPP offers.

Our Ethos

Play is every child’s right and the natural activity of children. BAPP believe that every child should be able to play safely close to their home.

Children who attend BAPP playschemes, playdays and family play sessions come because they want to:

• Have a go at something they can’t do at home or something new
• Meet with friends and have a drink and chat
• Make up games in a safe environment
• Play where they know there are adults if they need them
• Socialise with a wider group of people including adults
• Access equipment and resources they might not have at home
• Do things on a bigger or messier scale than at home or school

Without the continuation of funding from B&NES and other funders, this unique play experience will be lost to the next generation of children due to increased fears from parents of traffic, strangers and crime.

BAPP recognises and promotes the importance of play in relation to child development and children’s rights.

We are committed to providing a range of inclusive and accessible play opportunities for children in their own communities.

Under the U.N Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to play in their own community. BAPP is striving to continue this provision to maintain a stable base for children in their own community.

We are committed to offering all children a choice of venue and activities, and fully support and promote inclusion. All of our services are open to all children and the playscheme at the Hut has become an inclusive setting where disabled and non-disabled children can play together. Staff manage the space and encourage all children to get the most out of all of the play opportunities.

Our Staff

All our Playworkers undertake a full weeks training in play and related issues; health and safety, equal opportunities, communication including Makaton and basic sign language, practical play ideas including adapting games and activities, child protection and issues surrounding disablities. All playschemes are fully registered with OFSTED

Playschemes, Events & Support

We provide:

Community Play Provision across Bath including Southdown, Twerton, Odd Down, Foxhill and Weston.

Closed access inclusive holiday playscheme at Twerton during Spring and Summer school holidays.

Pre-school at The Hut runs term time only from 9am – 3pm Monday to Friday and is open to all children from 12 months to school age. Parents/carers should register children in advance.

Closed-access Holiday playschemes available for disabled and non-disabled children aged between 5 and 12/19 years of age in most school holidays at Three Ways School working in partnership with WECIL, Fosseway School and BOP.