100M
People in the U.S. — including 28 million kids — don’t have a park within a 10-minute walk of home.
10-Minute Walk
A youth recreation campaign
Every kid deserves a place to play.
Millions of kids in the U.S. can’t get to a park, a court, a pool, or a school gym. Open the Gates is fighting to change that — because play isn’t a luxury. It’s a right.
Take ActionPhoto: Joel Muniz / Unsplash
The Issue
Play should not depend on your zip code.
Where a kid grows up decides how much they get to play. Families in wealthier neighborhoods often have big parks, smooth courts, and pools around the corner. Kids in lower-income neighborhoods often find locked gates, crumbling asphalt, and nothing safe within walking distance.
It’s about access: how far a kid has to travel, whether a facility is open to the public, and whether the equipment is safe enough to use. When access falls short, kids move less, meet up less, and miss out on the confidence and friendships that play builds.
The Facts
The numbers tell the story.
4×
Parks serving mostly low-income households are on average four times smaller than parks serving mostly high-income households.
10-Minute Walk
36.3%
Only 36.3% of kids from the lowest-income homes played organized sports in 2024 — a 38.5-point gap with the wealthiest kids.
Project Play, 2024 data
+46%
What families pay for youth sports is up 46% since 2019, pricing more kids out.
Project Play, State of Play 2025
22.6M
U.S. kids would join an afterschool program if one were available — but there isn’t room for them.
Afterschool Alliance
81%
Of teens worldwide don’t get enough physical activity.
WHO
60 min
Kids ages 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
CDC
Art. 31
Of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes every child’s right to play.
UN
Barriers Kids Face
What stands between kids and play?
Solutions That Work
Change is possible — here’s how.
Shared-use agreements
Opening school fields and gyms to the public after hours gives communities free, safe places to play without building anything new. One unlocked door changes whole neighborhoods.
Close the park gap
Building and restoring parks in neighborhoods that have the least — so every kid is within a 10-minute walk of a great place to play.
Lower the cost of entry
Free or low-cost leagues, gear libraries, and pay-what-you-can programs give kids who were priced out a way back onto the field.
Fund afterschool time
Supporting afterschool programs means millions of kids get supervised, structured play and activity every single day.
Directory
Learn more & connect.
These organizations research play access, fund facilities, and lead programs. Every link opens in a new tab.
10-Minute Walk
ParkScore (Trust for Public Land)
ParkServe (Trust for Public Land)
Project Play — State of Play 2025
Project Play — 2024 participation data
Afterschool Alliance — America After 3PM
CDC — Child Activity Guidelines
WHO — Physical Activity fact sheet
UN — CRC Article 31 (right to play)
KABOOM! — Playspace inequity
Safe Routes Partnership — Shared use agreements
National Recreation and Park Association
The Skatepark Project
U.S. Soccer Foundation
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
UNICEF — Child Friendly Cities
Right To Play
UN — International Day of Play
Ways to Take Action
Play starts with you.
Ask your city to open the gates
Attend a city council or park board meeting and ask for shared-use agreements and funding for nearby parks.
Map your community
Use ParkScore and the 10-Minute Walk tools to see where the gaps are in your neighborhood — then share what you find.
Volunteer locally
Join a park beautification day, coach a free youth league, or help an afterschool program get kids moving.
Speak up online
Use your voice to share the data, tag your elected officials, and celebrate the open spaces your town has.
Ready to help make play fair for every kid? Start with one small step.