Greener Understanding of Article 31: Litter Pick & Play

As part of the International Play Association Triennial World Conference 2023 taking place in Glasgow, we are asking you to get involved in our Litter Pick & Play project.

Children have a right to play under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, many children face significant barriers in realising this right.

From natural disasters to everyday issues, public spaces are often unwelcoming and unsafe for children to play in. Children who are already disadvantaged by disability, poverty, and other factors, are disproportionately affected by the environment.

That is why we are asking you to work with children and young people to improve their local environment to increase and improve their play.

Children’s rights & the Environment

Playing in natural environments positively impacts on children’s sense of well-being, fitness levels, resilience, cognitive functioning and motor ability (Bird 2007; Pretty et al 2007, Lester and Russell 2008, Muñoz, S.-A. 2009, Keniger et al 2013, Gill, 2014, Söderström et al 2013).

By playing in nature, children come to understand, appreciate and care for the natural world – it encourages “stewardship for the earth.” (IPA World, 2016)  

Children across the world are determined, resourceful, and creative when finding opportunities for play. However, many children face significant barriers in realising their right to play (IPA World, 2016). 

The global climate crisis is having a huge impact on play. The pollution of air, water, and space is increasing and this affects the safety of children at play. In emergency situations following natural disasters and other crisis, play is often given lower priority than the provision of food, shelter and medicines. However, play is one of the ways that children cope with a crisis in any context. Play hones innate skills and helps children to come to terms with what has happened (Fearn and Howard, 2012).

Everyday environments also impact play. Planning decisions on pavement widths, provision of outdoor space, rubbish removal, and even “No Ball Games” signs can have huge impacts on the quality and quantity of play available to children.

Children are likely to be disproportionately affected by environmental constraints on their enjoyment of their right to play if they live in:

• Poor or hazardous environments
• Poverty
• Situations of conflict or humanitarian disaster
• Rural communities
• In street situations

Or if they are:

• Asylum-seekers and refugees
• Disabled
• Chronically hospitalised children 
• Migrants or internally displaced

(IPA World, 2016).

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