Play is instrumental in supporting children and young people’s mental health and resilience. Play helps children develop resilience and cope with stress and anxiety, supporting good mental health. Through play, children can work through and make sense of difficult situations, work through uncertainty, and make sense of the world around them. Play encourages children to learn to manage risk and challenge, share and negotiate, develop their imagination, and develop a sense of independence and self-sufficiency.

This publication focuses on the benefits of play for supporting children and young people’s mental health, and also looks at the benefits of outdoor play, the role of adults, the outdoor play environment, as well as offering suggestions for play ideas and activities.