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  • About
    • What We Do
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    • What is Play
      • Play Types
    • The Power of Play
    • Resources
      • Climate & Environment
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      • Health & Wellbeing
      • Inclusion & Rights
      • Play Activities
      • Play Strategy
      • Playwork & the Play Sector
      • Space, Place & Planning
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    • Values & Policy
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      • Boredom Busters
      • Games on the Go
      • Active Play
      • Messy & Creative Play
      • Water Play
      • Play Packs
      • #101waystoplay campaign
    • Stay Safe
  • Schools & Childcare
    • Schools
      • Play Types Toolkit
      • Active Uniform Alliance: Made to Move
    • Playwork
      • The Playwork Principles
    • Play Pedagogy
    • Play Pedagogy Award
    • Outdoor Play and Learning – OPAL
    • Early Learning and Childcare
    • Writing a Play Policy
    • Managing Risk
    • Loose Parts Play
    • Training & Events
    • The Play Well Podcast
  • Places for Play
    • Playday 2026
    • Organising Community Play
    • People, Places and Play
    • Play Sufficiency Assessments
    • Inclusive Play Design
    • Smoke Free Play
  • Policy
    • Scotland’s Play Strategy
    • The Right to Play
    • Policy Landscape
    • Legal Duty for Play Sufficiency in Planning
    • Policy Groups
  • News

Category: Blog

Risk, fear and freedom: a plea to parents by Tim Gill

13 March 2019

Children hunger for a taste of freedom. They are strongly driven to get…

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The Right Brain Develops First ~ Why Play is the Foundation for Academic Learning

13 March 2019

Did you know that the right brain develops first? It does so by the time children…

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Streaming apps ‘used to exploit children aged eight’

11 February 2019

Children as young as eight are being sexually exploited online, Barnardo’s the UK’s…

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Tech, Teens and Trust: Navigating the Digital World of our Children

10 January 2019

Those of us parenting in a digital world, frankly, don’t know what we’re…

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Children’s Play Becomes Work When You Get in the Way. Let Them Be

10 January 2019

Play does not have a beginning and ending. It is a fluid, continuous…

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Six ways to raise a resilient child

10 January 2019

Helping our children navigate the stresses and strains of daily life is more…

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The Age Four Transition to Responsible Childhood

8 January 2019

Converging evidence shows a major shift toward independence around age four.  Full blog…

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Worry over kids’ excessive smartphone use is justified

19 December 2018

Sleep deprivation among teens spiked after 2012 – just as smartphone use became…

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Traditional Toys May Beat Gadgets in Language Development

17 December 2018

Baby laptops, baby cellphones, talking farms — these are the whirring, whiz-bang toys…

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Active Students Could Outperform Sitting Students by 16%

4 December 2018

The BBC has published an article detailing new research on active students. “International research found…

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43 Reasons our Kids Need to Play More by Neve Spicer

30 November 2018

Is your child getting enough ‘free play’? Child-led free play – the unstructured…

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Reflections on 30 years of Playday from Play Scotland’s CEO Marguerite Hunter Blair

2 August 2017

Playday is always a fantastic opportunity for families and children to have fun…

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Playday Survey 2017

21 June 2017

What do you think about playing today and how have play opportunities changed…

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Scottish Parliament debates national play charter

17 March 2017

The Scottish Parliament has debated the country’s first Play Charter, developed and promoted…

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Judith Hackitt, Chair, HSE supports adventurous play

28 January 2014

Up for the ride It was encouraging to see London Mayor Boris Johnson…

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Thoughts on the Play Strategy Action Plan by Megan from Rain-shine

7 January 2014

Play Strategies and Play Action Plans are government sponsored initiatives designed to encourage…

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Playing and learning Blog from Judith Hackitt, Chair HSE

5 November 2013

This week I had the pleasure of attending the House of Commons to…

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Managing Risk in Play Provision Launch

28 October 2013

The launch of the Managing Risk in Play Provision Guidance will take place…

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Project Wild Thing

25 October 2013

Please see link for blog on Project Wildthing on Netmums web Link

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Are you Going to Join The Playtime Revolution?

23 October 2013

Many children and young people only get out to play when they are…

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Planning for Play

25 September 2013

An exciting new CPD (level 8) award is now available to help communities…

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Play Strategy for Scotland

25 June 2013

Think about your favourite Play memories, where were your favourite places to play…

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Play is the heart of wellbeing

8 April 2013

Play is the heart of wellbeing. This is especially true for children and…

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Posts pagination

← Newer Posts 1 … 3 4Older Posts →

Scotland’s Play Charter

Scotland’s Play Charter describes our collective commitment to play for all children and young people. Supporters of the Charter know that children have the right to play and value play as an essential part of children’s health and wellbeing as individuals and part of the community.

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Pledges to Scotland’s Play Charter

  • Sgoil Bhaile a’ Mhanaich, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
  • Ayrshire College
  • Smallworld Out of School Club
  • East Dunbartonshire Council
  • The Nurture Nursery
  • Allsorts Dornoch
  • Gracemount Nursery
  • Little Scallywags Nursery
  • East Lothian Out of School Care Network
  • CHAS
  • Woodland Outdoor Kindergartens
  • Welly Walkers Childminding
  • Orchard Grove Kindergarten
  • St Ninians Nursery
  • Starcatchers
  • Lecropt Nursery and Bridge of Allan OOSC
  • Support from the Start Haddington Cluster
  • North Queensferry Primary
  • Off Grid Kids
  • University of the West of Scotland
  • Playland
  • Home-Start East Fife
  • Holmston Out of Skool Club
  • Professional Learning Academy
  • Hearts and Minds
  • Seahorse Nursery
  • Tarves Primary School
  • First Nursery
  • North United Communities
  • Sgoil-àraich Taobh na Pàirce
  • West Lothian Council
  • Inclusive Play
  • Queens Cross Housing Association
  • Upstart Scotland
  • St Andrew’s RC Primary School
  • Seamab
  • The Green Team
  • Gingerbread
  • NHS Health Scotland
  • Middleton Park School
  • MACS After School Care
  • Battlefield Primary ASC Association (BPASCA)
  • Make Mess Matter
  • Enable Scotland
  • Tiptoe’s Children’s Nursery
  • Busby Primary School
  • Corstorphine Primary School
  • Tweedbank Early Learners
  • Old Doune Road Nursery
  • Clydesdale After School Care
  • Newtongrange ASC
  • Dunbar Primary School Nursery
  • Support from the Start North Berwick Cluster
  • Maxwellton Park Nursery & OSC
  • St George’s School for Girls
  • Access Parkour Ltd
  • New College Lanarkshire
  • Whiteinch Centre
  • Lanarkshire Childcare Services
  • What’s on Inverbervie Community
  • Jordanhill School
  • Fledglings Childminding Service
  • North Edinburgh Childcare
  • Outdoor Cleghorn
  • Dumfries Toy Library
  • Tweeddale Youth Action
  • St John’s RC Primary
  • Voluntary Action
  • Cornerstone Nursery
  • High School of Dundee
  • Home-Start Lorn
  • Thornlie Primary School
  • Fife Childcare Services
  • University of Dundee
  • Forgandenny Primary School
  • Coastguard Club
  • CALL Scotland
  • Hanover Street School
  • Buttons & Bows Nursery School
  • Inverbrothock OOSC
  • Castlepark Primary School
  • Burnfoot Community School
  • Movement Park
  • Child Central Training
  • St Joseph’s Primary School
  • Fields in Trust Scotland
  • Chanonry Beaver Scouts
  • Dens Road Primary School
  • Parkour UK
  • Midlothian Sure Start
  • South Lanarkshire Council
  • Black Lion Games
  • Tingwall Primary School
  • Rattray Primary School
  • Aberfoyle Nursery
  • Fenton Barns Nursery
  • Cosy Cottage Nursery School
  • Support from the Start Dunbar Cluster
  • Little Steps Childminding
  • Fountainhall Nursery
  • Beech House Nursery
  • Allan’s Nursery
  • Oxley Park Academy
  • Linnvale Primary
  • North Ayrshire Council
  • St Paul’s Primary School
  • Support, Help and Integration in Perthshire
  • Child’s Play Nursery
  • Firsthand Lothian
  • RHC NHS GGC
  • Fun Lodge After School Care
  • The Wee Childcare Company Ltd
  • Wellgreen Nursery, Stirling
  • Jordanhill Out of School Service
  • Knightswood Primary
  • Ninewells Nursery
  • YouthLink Scotland
  • Forest School Leader
  • Support for Families
  • Innerwick Primary and Nursery School
  • Bonding with Baby
  • Simply Play
  • C.O.J.A.C. Caring Operations Joint Action Council
  • Red Harbour Events
  • Broomhill OOSC
  • Borders College
  • Clovenstone Primary School
  • Getting Better Together
  • Aberdeen City Council
  • Toybox Children’s Centre
  • Craiglockhart After School Club
  • Newmains Family Learning Centre
  • Rosetta Early Learners
  • St Peter’s RC Primary School
  • Little Lunches
  • Timberplay Scotland Ltd
  • Emerald Maintenance
  • Gylemuir After School Club
  • Wee Gems
  • Scaraway Nursery School
  • Pilton Youth and Children’s Project
  • Edinburgh College
  • St Thomas Playgroup
  • Highland Council
  • Edinburgh Young Carers Project
  • Crossmichael Primary School
  • Borestone Primary School
  • PEEK Project
  • Òganan Ghlaschu
  • North Edinburgh Arts
  • Aberlady ELOSCN
  • Fife Gingerbread
  • St David’s Primary School
  • Play Midlothian
  • Craigton Primary School
  • Adoption UK
  • Arkleston Primary School
  • Home-Start Kincardine
  • Hyndland After School Club
  • Greener Kirkcaldy
  • East Lothian Play Association
  • Home-Start Wigtownshire
  • Mud Pie
  • St Mary’s Nursery Class
  • Balmore Kindergarten Ltd
  • The Cottage Family Centre
  • Aberlour Childcare Trust
  • Laura’s Little Treasures
  • Muirhouse Youth Development Group
  • Parsons Green Primary
  • Holy Cross Primary School
  • South Lanarkshire College
  • Pirie Park Primary School
  • Monkey Puzzle Glasgow Central
  • Clackmannanshire Council
  • Murrayburn Primary School
  • NHS West Dunbartonshire
  • Fife College
  • Glenbervie Kindergarden
  • Edinburgh and Lothians Out of School Care Network
  • Langlee Support Centre, Langlee Primary School
  • Johnshaven School
  • Interactive Play Scotland
  • Kinneil Primary School and Early Years Campus
  • The Scottish Parliament
  • Whinhill Primary School
  • South Ayrshire Council
  • St Charles’ Primary School
  • Argyll & Bute Council
  • 3D Drumchapel
  • Barnardo’s APNA Project
  • Busy Bees Nursery
  • Child’s Play
  • Glebelands Nursery
  • Parent and Infant Mental Health Scotland
  • Inspiring Scotland
  • St David’s Primary RC
  • Twinkle Stars Childcare
  • Wardie Primary School
  • Parenting Across Scotland
  • City of Play
  • Chatelherault Nursery & ASC
  • Scalloway Youth & Community Centre
  • Argyll College
  • Preschool Academy
  • James Gillespie’s Nursery
  • Perth Autism Support
  • Musselburgh Burgh Primary School
  • Goodlyburn Primary School
  • Our Place Our Families
  • Childcare Strategy Team
  • Springfield Primary School
  • Doune Nursery
  • Outdoor Woodland Learning School (OWLS)
  • Barnardo’s Scotland
  • Mosstodloch Primary School
  • Perth & Kinross Council
  • Play and Sports Limited
  • ACE Place Nursery and OSC
  • Newtown Primary School
  • South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture
  • Linthaugh Nursery School
  • East Ayrshire Council
  • Reidvale Adventure Play Association Limited
  • Biggar Primary School and Nursery
  • Penicuik YMCA-YWCA
  • Evanton Wood Community Company
  • Outlet Play Resource
  • PlayBoard NI
  • Early Steps Nursery
  • Park Primary School
  • Kilbarchan AAC
  • The Concrete Garden
  • Operation Play Outdoors
  • Bankhead After School Care Service
  • Almond Park Nursery
  • University of Strathclyde
  • East Pollockshields Out of School Care
  • Licketyspit
  • Babysign
  • Four Seasons Nursery
  • Hillwood Primary School
  • Elphinstone Primary
  • Family Fund Scotland
  • Fife Play Resource, Fife Play Development Team, Fife Council
  • Udston Primary School
  • Bridge of Weir Childcare
  • MyParkScotland
  • East of the Sun, West of the Moon
  • Home-Start Edinburgh West and South West
  • Sciennes Primary School
  • Canongate Youth
  • Crieff Hydro
  • Edible Estates
  • Scout Association
  • St Sylvester’s Primary School
  • Play Borders
  • Green Aspirations Scotland CIC
  • Echline Primary School and Nursery Class
  • Bruce Family Centre
  • Stramash
  • International Play Association Scotland
  • Parent Action for Safe Play
  • TIGERS
  • Play Torbay
  • Sarah Lawrence College
  • Simpson Primary School & Nursery Class
  • Culture & Leisure
  • Prestonpans ASC
  • First 4 Kids
  • Angus Alive
  • Youth Scotland
  • Law Primary School and North Berwick Nursery School
  • Falkirk Community Trust Libraries
  • Loader Monteith
  • WHALE Arts
  • Abbey Mill Childcare
  • Holy Corner Community Group
  • Guildford Borough Council Playrangers
  • Riverside Primary School
  • Erskine Stewart Melville School
  • LINKES
  • Cockburnspath Primary School
  • Childcare in the Community
  • East Park
  • Gargurnnock Play Group
  • Shetland Islands Council
  • Newton Nursery
  • Dundee and Angus College
  • Lauriston Nursery
  • Islesburgh OOSC
  • Windygoul Primary School
  • Pencaitland Primary School Parent Council
  • Eastmuir Primary School
  • PlayBase
  • Step by Step Nursery
  • Arran High School
  • Meiklewood Nursery and After School Care
  • Gleniffer Nursery
  • Healthy n Happy CDT
  • Children’s Health Scotland
  • Earthtime for All Ltd
  • Carli’s Kindergarten
  • Families First, North Lanarkshire Council
  • Iona Primary Early Years
  • Stanmore House School – Capability Scotland
  • Rosemount Lifelong Learning
  • St Rose of Lima Primary School
  • Project 31
  • Pentlands Activity Camps (PAC)
  • South Morningside Primary School and Nursery
  • Mini French
  • ASH Scotland
  • Tinies
  • Clermiston Primary School and Nursery
  • St Leonard’s Primary and Nursery School
  • Scottish Book Trust
  • NHS Forth Valley
  • Oxfordshire Play Association
  • The BIG Project
  • Play Alloa
  • Quarriers
  • Gap Childcare Services
  • Smart Play Network
  • Beatlie Primary School
  • Dirleton Playgroup
  • St Peter’s Primary School
  • St Columba’s Junior School
  • Liberton After School Club
  • Kids Come First
  • Antonine Primary School
  • Kidzcare
  • PLUS Forth Valley Ltd
  • Argyle Bridge Children’s Nursery
  • Angus Council
  • Craigour Park Primary School and Nursery
  • NHS GGC Children and Families
  • Old Doune Road Nursery
  • Little Acorns
  • The Yard
  • Melrose Primary School
  • Play Together on Pedals
  • St Gerard’s Nursery School
  • Woodlands Family Nurture Centre
  • Bòrd na Gàidhlig
  • Adelaides Nursery
  • Warout Primary School
  • Forestry and Land Scotland
  • Dalmilling Primary School
  • Giffnock Nursery Class
  • Gullane After School Club
  • Leaps and Bounds Nursery
  • Crieff Hydro Kids Club
  • Leisure and Culture
  • Lamlash Early Years Class
  • Busy Bairns Childminder
  • Hayburn Park Association
  • Together – Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights
  • St Boswells Primary School
  • Renfrewshire Council
  • Commercial Primary School
  • Aberdeenshire Council
  • Balornock Primary School
  • West Dunbartonshire Council
  • Impact Arts
  • Include Me 2 Club
  • Abbey Early Years Centre
  • Bikeability
  • Barlanark Out of School Care
  • Alyth OOSC
  • Milltimber Playgroup
  • Support from the Start Musselburgh Cluster
  • Healthy Valleys
  • Bright Starts Nursery
  • Flowerbank Early Childhood Centre
  • Towerbank ASC
  • City of Edinburgh Council
  • Caldercuilt Primary School & Nursery
  • West Johnstone Early Learning and Childcare Centre
  • Scalloway Pre-School
  • Meadowburn Primary School
  • Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
  • Grange Primary School
  • Early Education UK
  • Cardonald Primary School
  • Whitburn and District Community Development Trust
  • Roots and Shoots Highland Learning
  • Culture NL
  • Tinto Nursery
  • Flowerpots Childcare
  • Croftamie Nursery
  • Falkirk Council
  • OSCARS Childcare
  • Galleon Centre
  • Scamps SOSC
  • Camperdown Primary School and Nursery
  • Task Childcare Services
  • Scottish Historic Buildings Trust
  • Cookfur Nursery Class
  • Maddiston Primary School
  • Edzell Nursery
  • West College Scotland
  • EA Junior School
  • Support from the Start Prestonpans Cluster
  • The Creativity Portal
  • Leaps and Bounds Activities (LBA)
  • TICTACS After School Service
  • Dunblane Youth & Sports Centre Trust
  • Summerston Childcare
  • KO-NEKT (Childcare)
  • Muck Primary School
  • SPELL
  • City of Glasgow College
  • St Denis’ Primary School
  • Firpark Primary School
  • Auchinairn Afterschool Care & Forest School
  • Fusion Childcare Services
  • The Destiny Project
  • Support from the Start Tranent Cluster
  • Gowrie Training and Consultancy
  • Boomerang Community Centre
  • St Ninian’s Primary School
  • Kidsize Out of School Club
  • Jennyswell Out of School Care
  • Living Streets Scotland
  • Enchanted Forest Nursery
  • Sacred Heart Primary School
  • Home-Start Levenmouth
  • Shetland College UHI
  • Mini Me Yoga Ambassador
  • Stirling ELC
  • Scottish Out of School Care Network
  • Nurture the Play
  • Little Forest Friends Scotland
  • Education Department East Dunbartonshire Council
  • Stepping Stones North
  • Holy Corner Community Playgroup
  • Ark Out of School Care
  • Orkney Library and Archive
  • Stirling Play Services, Stirling Council
  • Whiteness Primary School
  • Castleton Primary School
  • Houston Primary School
  • Holy Cross Nursery Class
  • East End Empowering Stars
  • St Martin’s Primary School and Nursery
  • Cumbernauld YMCA
  • Scottish Government
  • Mid Calder Primary School
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • Oxgangs Primary School
  • Cambusbarron Village Nursery
  • Cairnsmoir Connections
  • Maggie’s Childminding Service
  • Burnbrae Primary School
  • Creative STAR
  • Heathfield Primary & Early Years Centre
  • Enterprise Childcare
  • With Kids
  • Eyemouth Primary School
  • University of Edinburgh
  • Glasgow Life
  • St Margaret’s Primary School
  • NG Homes
  • Siblings Together and Reunited (STAR)
  • Wallyford Primary School

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