Reimagining Our Ambitions for Children's Play
Our Response
This is our response to the Play Commission's Call for Evidence, submitted in partnership with the Centre for Young Lives. It makes the case that children's play — a right protected under Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child — has been de-prioritised in policy and spending since 2010, even as children's health, wellbeing and school readiness have declined. The response draws on our early years work, including the 50 Things to Do Before You're Five programme, and sets out seven recommendations for change.
Download the full response (PDF, 16 pages)
Our Recommendations
- Policy-makers must acknowledge the wealth of research and evidence that shows that play promotes effective learning and development.
- Play must be recognised and valued as an essential tool for children's learning within our national educational policy and curriculum.
- All services impacting families and young children must recognise and value play as an essential part of our lives and communities.
- Parents should be provided with the tools and information to develop their confidence to allow their children more freedom to play outside, through initiatives such as 50 Things to Do Before You're Five.
- Education, health and social care services working with families must promote the value of shared family play time.
- Health services must be encouraged to include play as a core element of social prescribing for children and adults of all ages.
- Families must be empowered by local councils to set up street play initiatives.
The Evidence in Numbers
The response brings together feedback from parents and from early years settings using 50 Things to Do, alongside wider research on play, school attendance and child development.
Learning through play is widely accepted by practitioners as an ideal pedagogical approach for children in their early years. As The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project reported, "All parents who regularly involve their children in early home learning activities that 'stretch a child's mind' can enhance their children's learning and development."
What's Inside the Response
- Why play matters — the case for learning through play across all ages
- How the decline in play links to school readiness and the widening attainment gap
- Places to play: safe outdoor space, and lessons from Scotland, Sweden and Belgium
- Parents and play: family bonding, wellbeing and non-judgemental support
- A balanced view on digital play and screen time
- Evidence and quotes from parents, practitioners and health visitors
Who It's For
The response is aimed at policy-makers, the Play Commission and the Centre for Young Lives, as well as practitioners across education, health and social care, and anyone interested in early years policy. It argues that, with a new government and a new mandate, there is a unique opportunity to build a more positive, play-filled future by joining up policy, listening to the sector and committing to a long-term approach.