The Right to Play – Why Schools Need to Improve Their Play
Nicola Owen
Introduction:
Children attend primary school for seven years. Of those seven years, around 1.4 years will be spent outside actively playing, making “playtime” by far the most dominant element within the curriculum.
Research shows that play contributes to children’s physical and emotional health, well-being, approach to learning, and enjoyment of school. Given the importance of play in children’s lives and current concerns about children’s health andthe opportunity to access time and space to initiate their own play outdoors, there are considerable benefits for children, parents, schools, and the wider community from primary schools strategically planning for play.
Key Topics:
- What is play?
- The right to play (UN article 31)
- What has changed in childhood?
- What are the benefits of play?
- The current State of Play in Primary Schools
- The future – Plan for Play
About Nicola
Nicola looks after the international expansion of the Opal Programme for South East Asia and hopefully the Middle East in the near future. A social entrepreneur with over 20 years of business experience in both regions, she has become an avid supporter of the Opal Programme after her son came home from school exclaiming that he has had the best day in his life, when the programme was introduced to the children that same day in the first Opal school in South East Asia (Malaysia).
She strongly believes in the difference it will make to children’s lives, children from all cultures and different backgrounds, and she looks forward to establishing Opal in as many schools as possible across the regions. She is closely monitoring the implementation of the Programme at St Christopher’s International Primary School, witnessing first-hand the immense positive impact it has on children’s creativity, engagement and confidence, at the same time learning about some of the challenges and possible improvisations needed for international schools in such a different climate. Nicola enjoys traveling with her family and engaging in community projects focussing on children in need and child development.
