Embracing the Joy of Play: Celebrating the International Day of Play

Written by Jo Bourne, Chief Technical Officer, Global Partnership for Education

On June 11th, the world paused to celebrate a fundamental aspect of childhood and development: play. This date marks the inaugural International Day of Play, an initiative adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, thanks to the collective efforts of advocates who believe in the transformative power of play for children's growth and development. 

The International Day of Play is not just a day; it's a call to action to recognize play as a child's right and to ensure that every child has the time, space, and opportunity to play. It's a day to remind us that play is never "just play." It's an essential part of childhood that builds resilience, instills confidence, and fosters development. 

Play is a healer, a teacher, and a builder of psychosocial well-being.

Children around the globe need policies, training, and funding that integrate play into education and community settings. Play is a healer, a teacher, and a builder of psychosocial well-being. It's crucial to invest in diverse, inclusive, and safe play spaces, making them accessible to all children, particularly the most vulnerable and marginalized. 

The International Day of Play is a movement driven by children and young people, with a staggering 97% believing in the importance of play, yet a third do not have sufficient time to engage in it. To address this, they call on adults and decision-makers to invest in their well-being by protecting their right to play, providing more opportunities for play, including in schools, creating safe and accessible places for play, respecting their voices in decisions about play, and supporting the development of social skills through play. 

Join the movement of play

Getting play on the agenda is simple – join the International Day of Play campaign and make sure to spread the word through social media using the hashtag #InternationalDayofPlay, so everyone can contribute to making play a priority every day. 

Let's commit to putting play back on the agenda, not just for one day, but every day, to create a world where every child's right to play is respected, protected, and fulfilled.