Time to take playing seriously

EDITOR: International Day of Play (“IDP”) passed on June 11, 2025 to very little fanfare.

However, this relative non-recognition belies the fundamental importance of what IDP represents and seeks to promote, particularly for children in the context of their holistic development.

According to the United Nations, IDP “marks a significant milestone in efforts to preserve, promote and prioritize playing so that all people, especially children, can reap the rewards and thrive to their full potential”.

Playing helps children build relationships, overcome trauma and develop problem-solving skills. It also supports the development of the cognitive, physical, creative, social, and emotional skills that children need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. But beyond being “mere recreation” that is highly beneficial to children, playing has been recognised as a “universal language spoken by people of all ages, transcending national, cultural, and socio-economic boundaries” (United Nations, “Play Makes A Better World”).

Some time ago, I had an eye-opening conversation with Leah-bear, a brilliant and articulate eight-year-old girl, about IDP. During our conversation, I was surprised to hear her say that playing is “foolishness” and that she does not consider it to be necessary for a child’s happiness, well being, and development. It was the last thing I expected to hear from a child who finds joy in playing and prioritises having fun whenever she can. Still, I was not entirely surprised by her admission since, in my culture, almost every child will hear at some point that they “ramp” (read: play) too much—with the concomitant implication that playing is simply unnecessary or idle.

Nevertheless, to truly ensure that children receive all the emotional, psychological, social, and intellectual benefits to be derived from playing, we must first take it seriously. We must recognise playing as an important medium through which children connect with themselves, each other, and the world. We must also try to avoid stigmatising the act of playing as just an unnecessary distraction so that children will embrace, rather than dismiss, its importance.

As UNICEF’s Executive Director incisively observed on the occasion of IDP 2024, “Play is a sign that children feel safe and nurtured and loved”. So, let us commit to encouraging those feelings of safety, nurturance and love in children by taking seriously the importance of playing in children’s lives. Humanity’s most precious gifts certainly deserve nothing less.

Amanda Janell DeAmor Quest, Attorney-at-Law