Thanks for Taking the Pledge to Play

LET'S PLAY!

We’ve got all the inspiration you need to add play to your day on June 11th, the International Day of Play. Check out the games and activities below.

But why a day for play?

Because play matters. It's not just a right, but a necessity. Play heals, instills confidence, and prepares children with the knowledge and skills to rise above their challenges and flourish. But not all children have equal opportunities to play. Research shows that 73% of children don’t believe adults take play – and how it can help them learn – seriously. On June 11th, we're doing our part to champion a world where time and space to play is a priority for every child. And now you can too!

Taking part is simple. Show the world play matters by adding play to your day. On June 11th, post a photo or video that shows us how you’re playing. Tag Right To Play and use the hashtag #InternationalDayOfPlay.

Try these games and activities at home, at work, at school, and in your community!

IF YOU’RE A PARENT OR CAREGIVER:

• Dress up in costumes and enter a world of make believe with your kids, taking on roles like teacher, doctor, or astronaut.
• Go on a nature walk and explore a scientific concept, such as how plants grow. Challenge your kids to hunt for shapes, practice finding letters, or track landmarks to construct their own map.
• Grab some crayons, coloured paper, and paint and let your kids create a masterpiece and then tell you all about it.
• Play Let’s Decorate: This game teaches children to be creative by making their own decorations for objects found around the house. The activity is for children ages 6 and up, is played with two or more people, and takes about 30 minutes to play. You will need pencils or markers, paper, and any other materials to create decorations.

IF YOU’RE PLAYING AT WORK:

Virtual Icebreakers:

• Virtual Background Challenge: Ask participants to set their virtual backgrounds to a place they want to visit or a place that inspires them. Each participant will then take turns explaining their choice.
• Show and Tell: Ask participants to select an object within their reach that holds personal significance and share the story behind it.

In-Person Activities:

• Scavenger Hunt: Teams get out of the office and into the community to complete a series of fun and unique photo and video challenges. Ask participants to take photos on a playground, riding bikes, or playing hopscotch.
• Get things rolling with board games or trivia over lunch hour. Other lunchroom activities might include matching colleagues to their baby photo or celebrity doppelgänger.

Get to Know You Games (Virtual or In-Person):

• Guess Who: Ask participants to write down a fact about themselves – something that others in the group are unlikely to know already. Collect the facts and read each one aloud. Participants then decide who they think each fact relates to. Once all votes are in, ask the owner of the fact to come forward and elaborate in more detail.
• Two Truths and a Lie: Ask participants to come up with three facts about themselves. Two of them will be true, and one will be a lie. The rest of the group will then decide which is which.

IF YOU’RE A TEACHER:

• Have students make puppets to represent characters in a book that the class reads together. Ask students to act out alternative endings or a continuation of the story with puppet play.
• Have a playday in the gym or outside, playing tag or ball games, or try yoga, dancing, silly running, or a jump rope contest.
• Give groups of students a math riddle and provide them with objects like coins, beads, and blocks to help them solve it with their peers.
• Play Syllable Dance: This game teaches children how to separate words into syllables by creating dance moves to match the syllables in their name. The game is for children ages 6 and up, at or beyond a Grade 1 reading level. It’s played with four or more people and takes about 15 minutes to play.

Many more educational games that support children’s development can be found on YouTube here.

IF YOU’RE PLAYING SOLO:

• Go for a bike ride, rollerblade, jog, or take a nature walk.
• Listen to your favourite music and dance.
• Play a card game or video game.
• Spend time drawing, painting, writing, or playing a musical instrument.

IF YOU’RE PLAYING WITH FRIENDS:

• Try a painting or pottery class for beginners.
• Play video games, card games, or board games, such as Mahjong, Scrabble, or Monopoly.
• Have a “Puzzles and Podcasts” night.
• Take part in organized sports and activities, such as bowling, pool, or mini golf.

Don’t forget to share a photo or video that shows how you’re playing on June 11th! Use the hashtag #InternationalDayOfPlay.

Share the Pledge!