What is Playday? Playday! You may have heard the word, you may even know of the event.
But what is it truly all about?
Playday is the nations biggest campaign for play!
This fantastic event is held annually on the first Wednesday of August, kicking off the summer holidays with a day of fun!
Fun is at the heart of Playday, with their key aim being to see children from all backgrounds engaging in one, full, fun-packed day of play! Specifically, the campaign encourages parents to take their children to one of the special Playday events.
Each year, thousands of families take part in one of over 850 events all over the UK; that’s thousands of hours of play!
Why Support Playday?
Playday is a national campaign which was set up in 1987. Initially, the campaign aimed to help stop the loss of children’s play centres and playgrounds in London. However after this success over 30 years ago, the campaign spread. It’s now practised all over the UK!
Playday celebrates the fact that every child has the right to play.
It also celebrates public parks and playgrounds for allowing all children the opportunity to experience outdoor play. However, with government cuts leading to the closure of more and more parks and playgrounds across the UK, it is essential that we show support for Playday.
By supporting Playday we can help to spread awareness of how play is beneficial for children and their development. This is what will help ensure that every child can exercise their right to play.
Childhood development is heavily influenced by outdoor play!
This is due to the fact that play is a form of physical activity, and for some younger children, the only type of physical activity which they experience daily. Children need at least one hour of physical activity per day to ensure a healthy lifestyle. Active play can provide that hour, and more.
Not only does active play give children their daily exercise, it also aids in social and emotional development too. By joining in with Playday, you encourage children to go out into the community and join in with local social events. This means children develop their communication skills whilst developing a love for the community in which they live.
Where does Hand Made Places come in?
At Hand Made Places we encourage outdoor play year round with a range of high quality play equipment, as well as outdoor classrooms and sun shades to protect children from the weather.
Be it rain or shine we believe outdoor play is essential to childhood development.
Playday’s national campaign aims to spread awareness of the benefits of play, through encouraging communities to hold ‘play events‘.
Hand Made Places design, manufacture and install play equipment in schools, parks, leisure attractions and nurseries all over the UK. Our equipment provides children not only with hours of active fun, but it also can help to encourage a healthier lifestyle. Children can enjoy play on a variety of equipment including trim trails, which provide a multitude of activities; these activities exercise different bones and muscles, as well as providing them with endless amounts of fun!
Hand Made Places and Playday share the same aim.
We want to encourage children all over the UK to engage in outdoor play, and to spread awareness of the benefits that outdoor play has on a child’s physical and emotional health.
So join in on one of the many events being held today to encourage more children to engage in active outdoor play!