Government's child play campaign

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It will look at how £225 million is to be spent on thousands of new playgrounds over the next three years.

There will also be moves to improve facilities for older youngsters.

The work builds on the Children's Plan published in December and highlighting frustrations over the scarcity of places to go outside school.

Ministers are concerned at research suggesting that one in four children aged eight to 10 have never played outside without an adult.

"Many parents say this is because there are not enough safe places to go," an official said. "We would like to change that by providing safe places for children to play in, and also by creating public space that supports and encourages play."

Thursday's announcement will include the names of several local authorities who will pioneer new schemes.

However, the Government faces criticism over the 187 school playing fields which have been approved for sale over the past 10 years.

Margaret Morrissey, of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, told The Observer: "What happened to the commitment in 1997 that they were going to stop the sales?

"We are doing our children a terrible injustice. We are blaming them for not playing outdoors, but we are not giving them provision to do it. We have used up all the space."