Playday 2024: The importance of a rich and lively culture of play in children’s lives

It’s not going to come as a surprise to you when we say that children love to play! And while it can sometimes feel relentless or hard to manage, it’s actually hard to overstate the importance of play when children develop.

According to a study from the University of Cambridge, the fact that children’s play can be found everywhere in human societies highlights how crucial playfulness is for the “cognitive development and emotional wellbeing” of young people.

Unfortunately, traditional games aren’t as popular in modern society. In a digital world, where video games and apps are carefully designed to increase screen time, social interactions and a culture of exploration are too often removed from the equation.

That’s where the National Playday comes in. Read on to discover what this event is all about, what you can do to support your child in the key years of their development and the unique benefits of children’s play.

What is National Playday?

In short, it’s the national day for play in the UK, an annual celebration organised across the country by Play England, Play Scotland, Play Wales and PlayBoard Northern Ireland.

This year’s focus is ‘the culture of childhood‘.

It was originally conceived in 1986, when Mick Conway, Paul Bonel and Kim Holdaway joined forces to raise awareness against cuts on school-based play centres and adventure playgrounds in London.

Then, Playday grew quickly to become a national phenomenon in 1991, and now it’s one of the biggest play sector events in Europe, routinely held on the first Wednesday in August.

This year’s theme celebrates the rich and lively culture of children’s play and how playfulness is a distinct feature that brings people together despite their differences.

The goal is to raise awareness about the ways playing supports healthy development and learning for young people. This national day for play will involve street parties, festivals in your local park, adventure activities outdoor, and much more.

Thanks to the tireless effort of local communities, Playday is organised in the best way to suit each location.

Why not get involved? Check out the Playday events and resources page for inspiration.

What are the benefits of children’s play?

Some of the ideas behind this year’s campaign follow a specific pattern. They’re all inspired by the way playfulness can enrich the lives of many children across the UK.

According to Dr. Stuart Brown, play is “pleasurable, it offers a sense of engagement, it takes you out of time.” In these ideal conditions, children learn how to be more empathetic, embrace creativity, better communicate with others and deal with challenges. It is also essential for the development of the brain in young people.

But how does this happen exactly?

Here are a few ways a childhood supporting play promotes children’s health:

Kids are naturally curious and when cultural exploration is experienced through games there is an increased appreciation for the diversity children perceive in different backgrounds.
Within neighbourhoods children create games and stories together, the social connections that are formed build a stronger sense of community.
Playing generates a safe space for learning and testing a child’s abilities. In addition, many social games require children to think quickly and creatively to solve unique problems, developing both fantasy and logical skills.
A playday is also an occasion for young people to understand their roles within a group and increase self-confidence. This allows them to acquire important social skills and be more open to the world later in life.
When a child plays, they build better relationships with the kids around them and learn to understand each other’s feelings, improving their emotional intelligence and mental wellbeing.
The physical benefits of playfulness on children’s health are manifold. We’ve previously written about the importance of exercise for kids, and active play gamifies physical exercise, prompting children to move for hours without realising it. It’s also not uncommon for young people who are physically active to adopt healthy lifestyles when they grow up, prolonging the gains of a simple childhood habit.

How to promote a rich and lively culture of play

With this in mind, it’s easy to see why the Playday’s mission is so important. By raising awareness about the positive effects of play, this annual celebration elevates the wellbeing of thousands of children across the UK.

But how can you continue this vital effort in the remaining 364 days of the year?

Here are a few strategies you can adopt to foster a culture of childhood supporting play.

Encourage creativity with open-ended games

When provided with toys that can be used creatively in open-ended ways, children develop their own games and rules to play, which increases engagement and stimulates their imagination.

A few examples include building blocks, a sandpit with water and small shovels, playgrounds with ramps and bridges, balls, and so on. At its best, playing generates new meanings and the usage of normal objects is redefined by a child’s creativity.

Listen to children and (occasionally) give prompts

To ensure games are always fun, it’s important to ask kids what they want to do and accommodate their interests when possible. For instance, with a team sport like dodgeball, you could let the group choose the variant they want to try – here are a few ideas to throw into the mix.

Otherwise, if you see engagement decreasing when a child plays, you can also direct them with simple prompts or guide them with step-by-step solutions when problems arise.

Support children’s play with Premier Education

One of the best ways to ensure young people reach their healthy quota of play is to trust a leading provider that promotes children’s health by supporting play during and after school.

At Premier Education, we do exactly that, providing social, activity and learning opportunities for primary school kids.

Our wraparound childcare provision isn’t just invaluable childcare for working parents, but provides the perfect environment for kids to prepare for a school day, and wind down after a busy one, all through supervised play activities.

If your kids love sport, with a healthy dose of play, why not give our after school activity clubs or holiday camps a go?