2024 Media release

Building a brighter culture of play for children and young people

National play organisations call for focused action for play as Playday celebrated across the UK.

As thousands of children and young people come together to celebrate play at local and regional events, the formation of a new UK government provides a timely opportunity to highlight the need for a renewed commitment to play at all levels across society.

This year’s Playday theme focuses on play as the culture of childhood. Play is at the core of children’s lives and is vital for health, happiness, and creativity. Through play:

  • children develop a sense of, and value for culture
  • cultural exploration is encouraged, fostering an appreciation for diversity
  • children work together, negotiate, and build relationships
  • children feel connected to each other and their neighbourhoods
  • children create and pass on games, songs and stories.

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

This Playday, we invite families, playworkers, decision makers, and all those who work with children across the UK, 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.“

Play is every child’s right. On Playday and every day, let’s unite to create a more playful future for our children and young people.

– ENDS –

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

For more information, please contact:

  • Play Wales’s Communications Manager, Angharad Wyn Jones – 029 2048 6050 / 07376 427556.
  • PlayBoard Northern Ireland’s Senior Marketing & Communications Officer, Maria McBride – 028 9080 3380 / 074 2345 6190.
  • Play Scotland’s Chief Executive, Marguerite Hunter Blair – 077 9595 4856.
  • Play England’s Executive Director, Eugene Minogue – 079 5842 7293.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About Playday
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. www.playday.org.uk

About Play Wales
Play Wales is the national charity for children’s play in Wales. We provide advice, support and guidance for all those in Wales who have a concern or responsibility for any environment where children and young people might play. Play Wales upholds children’s right to play. All children are entitled to quality play provision within their communities and we work strategically to achieve this goal on their behalf. www.playwales.org.uk

About PlayBoard Northern Ireland
PlayBoard is the lead organisation for the development and promotion of children and young people’s play in Northern Ireland. Play is fundamental to a healthy, happy childhood and PlayBoard is committed to supporting children and young people’s play through a combination of service delivery and development, campaigning and lobbying, research, evaluation and awareness raising, and promoting best practice in play and playwork. www.playboard.org

About Play Scotland
Play Scotland is the lead organisation for the development and promotion of children and young people’s play in Scotland. Play Scotland works strategically to make the child’s right to play a reality so that all children can reach their full potential and be able to confidently inhabit an inclusive public realm, as well as help shape child friendly communities. www.playscotland.org

About Play England
Play England campaigns for all children to have the freedom and space to play throughout childhood. As the national organisation for children’s play, Play England works with all those who have an impact on children’s lives to support and champion play as an essential part of childhood. www.playengland.org.uk

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