Play
Active informal play directed by children or adults encourages longer term physical activity.
Play Wales is an independent charity funded by the Welsh Government through the Department for Health and Social Services.
They work to raise awareness of children and young people’s need and right to play and to promote good practice at every level of decision making and in every place where children might play. Play Wales provide advice and guidance to support all those who have an interest in, or responsibility for providing for children’s play so that one day Wales will be a place where we recognise and provide well for every child’s play needs.
Children’s Play and Leisure – Promoting a Balanced Approach
Health and safety laws and regulations are sometimes presented as a reason why certain play and leisure activities undertaken by children and young people should be discouraged. Such decisions are often based on misunderstandings about what the law requires.
The Health and Safety Executive has worked with the Play Safety Forum to produce a joint high-level statement that gives clear messages tackling these misunderstandings.
Play and Early Years Information Sheet
This information sheet explores what is play and its importance to and for children’s development in the early years (birth to seven years old). It also explores the importance of adult roles, advocacy and the child’s right to play.
It aims to help parents, families and those working with children in this age group in developing a positive attitude to play.
The Role of Adults in Children’s Play
The role of adults in children’s play information sheet explores why play matters and what we can all do about it.
It provides support for adults in understanding how they can best provide time, space, permission and materials for children to play. The information sheet also offers suggestions about how we should take action to promote and protect children’s right to play.
Play: inclusive provision
This information sheet explores the attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers that face disabled children and young people accessing play provision – and how play providers and playworkers can overcome them. It also includes the latest policy information and case studies.
Play Wales worked in partnership with Di Murray to produce this information sheet. It is an updated version of the Inclusive play information sheet Play Wales published in 2007.
Play and Risk Information Sheet
Written by Tim Gill, the Play and risk information sheet aims to set out why a balanced, thoughtful approach to managing risks in children’s play is needed. It also aims to give an overview of risk-benefit assessment, which is widely accepted as a suitable approach.
The information sheet is aimed at all those who have an interest in children’s play, including educators, playworkers, providers and managers of play facilities, health and safety professionals, risk managers, decision makers and parents.