The Importance Of Play In Schools
Play is one of the primary mechanisms children and young people use to learn about the world around them. Both natural and instinctive, play enables children to test their own abilities and learn and develop new skills and knowledge. As such play has a critical role in schools – offering both an outlet for expending energy during break times and as a means of contributing to learning through the curriculum.
The importance of schools as environments for play also cannot be understated. For many children and young people, the school playground represents the only open, accessible space available to them on a regular basis that allows them to engage in physically challenging and socially developmental outdoor play.
Just some examples of how play can help to reinforce curricular learning include:
For more on PlayBoard’s school training and play support programmes download Play Matters in Curriculum Planning.
For enquiries on PlayBoard’s work with schools email shauneen.mccusker@playboard.co.uk or telephone 028 9080 3380.
Latest TOPS News:
TOPS Awards 2017 – Four Schools Receive TOPS Awards!
Today (Wednesday 15th June) saw four local Primary Schools – Termoncanice PS (Limavady), Rathcoole PS (Belfast), St. Pauls PS (Belfast) and Holy Evangelist PS (Dunmurry) – receive the PlayBoard TOPS (Taking Outdoor Play Seriously) Quality Assurance Award for outdoor [...]
TOPS Award 2016 – Awarded to Ballymacash Primary School
On Wednesday 8th June newly appointed Minister for Education, Peter Weir MLA presented Ballymacash Primary School, Lisburn with the first ever PlayBoard ‘TOPS’ Quality Assurance Award for Outdoor Play in Schools. The award, developed and overseen by PlayBoard – the [...]
PlayBoard’s First ‘TOPS’ Quality Assurance Award
Minister for Education presents first ever PlayBoard ‘TOPS’ (Taking Outdoor Play Seriously) Quality Assurance Award for Outdoor Play in Schools to Ballymacash Primary School. Today (Wednesday 8th June) newly appointed Minister for Education, Peter Weir MLA presented Ballymacash Primary School, [...]