The first-ever International Day of Play takes place on 11 June this year.

The importance of play
Play is the most natural thing that children and young people do and it is a fundamental right, enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity that is essential to the healthy growth, development and well-being of individuals and communities. Every child and young person needs the time, space and permission to play. On 11 June, we are encouraging families, schools, youth settings, childcare settings, and communities to join the worldwide celebration of the power of play.

Get involved
Help us make the first International Day of Play one to remember! We want children and young people to enjoy extra time for play on this special day. We‘ve shared some traditional play ideas in our Summer of Play Challenge, we encourage you to reflect on, and share your favourite play memories – the freedom you felt, the friends you made, and the fun you enjoyed. We have an opportunity to consider how we can implement improvements for children and young people today. As we continue our work to secure a Play Strategy for Northern Ireland, you can add your voice to the play movement and get involved on social media. #InternationalDayofPlay

Children & young people survey
We want to know the state of play in Northern Ireland today – share our short survey for children and young people. Go to bit.ly/DayofPlaySurvey by 3 June.

The survey will allow children and young people in Northern Ireland to have their say on how important play is to them, the types of things they like to play and what, if anything, stops them playing as much as they would like.

President of IPA World, Robyn Monro Miller shares a message ahead of International Day of Play

Find out more about the International Day of Play at www.internationaldayofplay.org