The government has made an extra £10m available for local authorities to improve their play provision.

The funding will see children across the UK benefit from around 3,500 new play areas, while 30 local authorities will be selected as play pathfinders to receive £2m each to build new adventure playgrounds.

The £10m funding package will be added to the £235m government investment on children's play, announced in the Children's Plan white paper last month.

For the first time ever the government will also introduce a new play indicator, meaning that every year children and young people will be asked how satisfied they are with their local play areas and parks.

According to children’s minister Ed Balls, by 2010 all local authorities will have been offered capital funding to improve their play provision.

"Children need places which allow them to meet their friends and have fun - being able to burn off their energy in unstructured play is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight and life,” said Balls.

"I want to encourage local authorities to work with children, young people and their communities to develop play facilities which will really make a difference in their local area.”