Where there are children, there is play. It is a universal impulse, as old as humanity. Physical play, verbal play, friendship play, solitary play – it is the exercise of body and imagination, marked by humour, challenge, invention and exploration. As essential to childhood as food and drink.

Dr. June Factor

It's not every day you see a newspaper headline "Go play on road", but that's exactly what we saw in The Herald Sun (Monday 8 June 2020).

As important discussions start to emerge on how we can improve our neighbourhoods post the pandemic, it vital that we remember the voice of children through genuine co-creation. When it comes to designing great neighbourhoods, what matters to children?
Natalia Krysiak 

Nurture in Nature has just launched a novel way to encourage and inspire outdoor play and nature connection for families and early learning environments

With their hands on Nature Bus incursions delivering outdoor play and nature inspired learning programs having been put on hold during the COVID-19 crisis, they’ve been thinking outside the box and have been busy putting together little boxes of snail mail nature inspired goodness.

Each month there will be a NEW Nature Treasure Box available with a different nature inspired play and learning theme.

HOPPY in North Melbourne!

Our Executive Director Barb Champion came across this great piece of street art yesterday.  How it lifted her spirits! 

Children are using their creativity and compassion by leaving inspiring messages on our footpaths. How good is it to see them outside, while playing it safe with physical distancing and helping to support our wellbeing through this great outdoor activity.  

When you're out on your local streets and see something like this too, take a pic and post on our Play Australia Facebook page! 

Building cubbies, make-believe, dressing up - while it might just look like fun and games, play is actually crucial for your child's development. The problem is, as Australian kids spend more time at school, on their screens and in structured activities, they're not playing enough! 

Maggie Dent talks with expert Robyn Monro Miller about why kids of all ages need to play more.

When it comes to children and play, mud is a beautiful thing.

If you think about it, mud is Mother Nature's original sensory play medium and it's been around since the dawn of mankind - way before parents ever thought about the notion of "sensory play"!).

This gloriously mucky yet versatile substance has been used worldwide by countless indigenous artists, as well as builders and construction experts. This continues to be the case even today.

By Robyn Monro Miller, President of the International Play Association

2018 marks the 5th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations General Comment 17 on the right of the child to play. Today is World Play Day: it’s time to reflect on just how far we have gone in those five years.

"Adults in many communities are hearing the message about how important play is and embracing it"- Robyn Monro