In the lead up to national Playday on 7 August 2024, we asked children and young people about the importance of play in their lives, what they like to do when they are playing, and what, if anything, stops them from playing as much as they would like to. The survey was completed online by 182 children and young people aged up to 18 years old and living in Northern Ireland.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 90% of children and young people said that play was an important part of their lives.
• 85% said play made them happy, 82% said play was fun whilst 52% said play was important for making friends.
• 47% stated that they did not have enough time for play, 33% said there were very few places for them to play where they live.
• When asked what would help they play more often, 47% said more time and 46% identified a need for more spaces or places to play in their local area.