Building a brighter culture of play for children and young people

Playday is the national day for play, traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August. As well as an annual celebration of children’s right to play, Playday is a campaign that highlights the importance of play in children’s lives. Playday is coordinated by Play England, Play Wales, Play Scotland and PlayBoard Northern Ireland.

This year’s Playday theme focuses on play as the culture of childhood.

Despite robust evidence highlighting the multiple benefits of play, the UK Government has consistently overlooked the issue – with urgent action now required if we are to ensure children and young people are able to fully realise their right to play.

Families, playworkers, decision makers and all those who work with children across the UK, are invited to join together to foster a culture of play.

Alan Herron, Chief Executive Officer at PlayBoard NI, said:
“Playday provides an opportunity to celebrate and highlight the importance of play in children’s lives. In Northern Ireland, in line with the latest review by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, we are advocating for the development of a resourced play strategy alongside targeted action to enhance play across the community. As we celebrate Playday with colleagues across the UK, we will continue working with our local political parties to champion the role of play for children and young people’s health and happiness, and to ensure delivery of improved play opportunities for all.”

Mike Greenaway, Director of Play Wales, said:
“We need to give children more opportunities to play – not just on Playday, but every day of the year. Playing is children’s culture, it’s not a luxury, it’s how they develop relationships, express their creativity, learn about their place in the environment and community.
Often, it’s when they are playing, having the freedom to explore at home and experience everyday adventures with friends and family that bring children the most joy and happiness. Join us today and throughout the school holidays and beyond to give children freedom to play.”

Marguerite Hunter Blair, Chief Executive Officer, Play Scotland, commented:
“Playday provides a wonderful opportunity for children, families and communities to plan to play together. Scotland is well on its way to becoming a play-friendly country with play at the heart of our culture of childhood, and we all have a responsibility to make sure that every child gets to play, everyday!
We are calling on everyone to become a Play Champion on Playday, and organise pop up Playdays at home, in local spaces, parks and playgrounds. Make time to make some new play memories on Playday!”

Eugene Minogue, Executive Director at Play England, added:
“Playday provides us with an important and timely reminder of the cultural value of play! Ask adults what they loved most about being a kid, and their mind is likely to drift back to the games they played with other children. Some of the best childhood memories are rooted in long summer days playing games outside, many culturally unique to the UK – such as kerby, headers and volleys, hopscotch, bulldog, skipping and many more!
However, children today are experiencing many barriers to play. As their freedom and opportunities to play have declined, so has their physical and mental health as a result. It is therefore vitally important that the new government urgently address the decline in children’s play over recent decades. We need to give children their childhood back! That’s why we are calling for the introduction of play sufficiency legislation and development of a new national play strategy in England.“