First-ever International Day of Play highlights importance of outdoor play in developing vital skills in kids

Fifty years ago, an international day to promote the importance of children playing would have been unthinkable. But the kids of today are much different. It’s common to see a child walking home from school with their eyes glued to a mobile phone, or at the dinner table with an iPad in front of them. And many children are missing opportunities to develop critical skills through outdoor play. Tuesday marked the first-ever United Nations International Day of Play — a date aimed at encouraging little ones to get outside and play again. Minister for Early Childhood Education Sabine Winton said that although she lost “half her knees” on the bitumen while going down Yanchep’s steepest hill on a skateboard as a kid, she said getting cuts and bruises was a rite of passage for children. “Through play, we make sense of the world around us, we know that through play, we learn how to use our imagination and become creative people,” she said. “And we know that through play, we become critical thinkers and problem solvers in the world around us. “And very importantly, play helps us to learn how to interact with each other, play teaches us to how to get on with each other.” Only one in four children play regularly out on their street compared to their grandparents’ generation where almost three quarters said they played outside a few times a week. Looking back on her fondest childhood memories, Ms Winton said they involved playing outside. Nature Play WA’s Sarah McGowan also highlighted the “magic” of unstructured outdoor play. “If you think back to your own childhood, the best memories are often those when you were far away from the prying eyes of adults and you were left playing in nature,” she said. “Families have a role to play in promoting and prioritising unstructured outdoor play. “Be champions of nature play by actively participating and promoting outdoor activities. “Let’s step outside, enjoy the wonders of nature and simply play.”