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  • “When I was your age”
  1. About us

“When I was your age”



Our new project, “When I was your age” challenges assumptions around teenage behaviour in public spaces. We want to encourage everyone to be more tolerant of teenagers in shared spaces because as it turns out, we’re not so different after all…

Go on, have a little think about your life as a teenager. Sure, maybe there was little less technology and the trends might have been different, but you’ll probably be surprised to realise how similar your experiences are to those of teenagers today. 

Teenagers from across Wales have been sharing their experiences of play and hanging out with their friends, and are encouraging adults to think about the similarities between them.

Celyn, 12, said:

“We’d just like adults to be okay with us being in the park when we want to be, and know we’re not doing anything wrong. There usually ends up being a big group of us, and we all like to have fun together after school.

“I talk to my parents about what they did when they were my age, and it’s not that different! I spend a lot of time in the park with my friends and hanging out on the benches like they did. We just have phones and stuff now, so we make TikToks and use SnapChat.“

Cerys, Celyn’s mother, said:

“Celyn was stuck inside for the best part of a year, and away from school for most of that, so we are even more aware of her developmental needs now. 

“While it can be hard to let our teenager go out and play with her friends without us being around, it’s all part of growing up and allowing her to find herself. I spent much of my teenage years hanging out in parks and on the streets of my village, staying out well beyond my curfew and pretending I lost track of time, so I am learning now as a parent how to accept my teenager is the same!” 

Why is this important?

Reports show that today’s teens are more sensible than previous generations, and yet the majority of teenagers feel like they are unfairly represented in the media.

Mental health conditions amongst teenagers are also on the increase – particularly since the start of the pandemic – so, it is more important than ever that young people can play and socialise in their communities with their friends.

We want to inspire nostalgia and stir fond memories amongst adults in Wales, helping to bridge the gap between adults and teenagers today, particularly in public spaces. By remembering our own teenage years, we can better understand and be more tolerant of teenagers’ playful behaviour today and every day.

Get involved

Follow us on social media to receive the latest information – Facebook and Instagram.

Share your memories of play from your teenage years using the hashtag #WhenIWasYourAge. 

Published: 19th April, 2022

Updated: 3rd August, 2022

Author: Angharad Wyn Jones

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Playful Childhoods is a Play Wales campaign.

Play Wales is a registered charity, no. 1068926 and a company limited by guarantee, no. 3507258. Registered in Wales.