What’s play?
Play is an essential part of every child's life
and is vital to their development. Through play, children
explore the world around them and develop and practise skills.
Play is essential for physical and emotional growth, for mental,
intellectual and educational development, and for acquiring social
and behavioural skills.
Play is a generic term applied to a wide range of activities and
behaviours that are satisfying to the child, creative for the child
and freely chosen by the child.
Children's play may or may not involve equipment or have an end
product. Children play on their own and with others. Their play may
be boisterous and energetic or quiet and contemplative,
light-hearted or very serious.
Children’s right to play
In 1991, the UK government ratified the United Nations convention
on the rights of the child. The Playday campaign is committed to
achieving the full implementation of this right, to ensure all
children in the UK can play.
Article 31 of the convention states that:
- Parties recognise the right of the child to rest and leisure,
to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the
age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the
arts.
- Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to
participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage
the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural
artistic, recreational and leisure activity.