Play is the ‘rocket fuel’ of child development. Driven by natural curiosity and an urge to explore and discover, play helps children master control of their bodies, activates their imagination and develops the cognitive, emotional and social intelligences that will define them as adults. Whether alone or with others, outdoors or in the digital worlds, play helps children make the most of the unique developmental opportunities that come with childhood and beyond into adulthood. For example, to host a tea party with imaginary friends is to practice original thinking. Or to construct a make-believe castle outdoors is to develop spatial visualization skills, an important basis for maths.
Yet play is increasingly under threat. Despite its vital importance in a person’s early developmental journey, children’s time and space for play is squeezed. Lives are increasingly pressured and over-scheduled as rapid urbanisation and disruptive technologies reshape the way we live and work. Homes are becoming multitasking spaces as parents and children struggle to find quality family time in their busy lives. Schools are now more pressured and less playful experiences, as their focus shifts towards testing and examination. A decline in the number of community play spaces coupled with parental safety concerns is reducing opportunities for outdoor play too. These play barriers have far‐reaching implications: fewer play‐moments every day means fewer opportunities to develop the range of skills children need to thrive in the dynamic, challenging economies of tomorrow. The Value of Play report is an urgent response to the play crisis. Aimed at policymakers, educators and those shaping the global development agenda, the report explores the scale of the current play deficit, the impact of missed play moments on children’s lives and the reasons behind the ongoing decline in play. It highlights how low-play and play-poverty are fueling inequality and are behind a looming skills crisis.