Play is a magical time where children learn about the world around them, it is a time they have to themselves to be creative, imaginative, take risk, push their own boundaries and be active.
Play takes place naturally for children and is a personal journey that is unique to each individual child. It is important that adults allow this time for play to take place especially in today's busy world. Providing these opportunities for play doesn't have to an expensive or challenging process.
Here are some links to websites and documents which are full of ideas that will help you to provide rich play experiences for your children.
Autumnal/Halloween
- 7 awesome autumn activities for younger kids
- 13 Halloween Nature Activities and Crafts
- Activity sheets with Room on the Broom
- Gran Gran Plan: Spooky Lanterns
- Halloween 2023: Making up scary stories with kids
Craft for children
Den Building
- Eden project - Den building
- Muddy Faces - How to build a den (opens new window)
- Woodland Trust How to build a den (opens new window)
Loose Parts
- Let the Children Play - Loose Parts Play (PDF, 203 KB)(opens new window)
- Loose Parts Play Toolkit 2019 (opens new window)
Messy Play
Outdoor
- 10 gardening projects for kids
- 10 nature activities for kids
- 28 Fun Outdoor Games and Activities for Kids to Play in the Garden
- 50 things to do
- Early Learning and Childcare: Delivering High Quality Play and Learning Environments Outdoors (opens new window)
- Nature detectives
- Outdoor Learning: Learning through Landscapes
- Play4Life Outdoor Play (PDF, 625 KB)(opens new window)
- Play Well Outdoors Pack
- RSPB Nature Activities for Kids
- Space to Grow: Design guidance and out of school care settings (opens new window)
- Space to Grow: indoor/outdoor settings (opens new window)
Play for communities
- Playful communities
- Playful Streets
- How good is my place? - a version of The Place Standard Tool for children
Play for families
- 100 unique play ideas
- Active Play Games
- Activities and games
- BBC Tiny Happy People
- Bookbug
- Child's play - Top Ten tips for parents and families
- Developmental Play
- Family activities and events for primary school children
- Home Play Pack
- Playful Families
- Let's Play, Lego foundation
The NHS have some great tips and videos for playing with babies and toddlers.
Play in schools
- Early Level Play Pedagogy Toolkit
- Playful Schools: Toolkit for delivering Loose Parts Play in Covid-19 (PDF, 1 MB)
- Inspirationally Playful
- Playful Schools: The power of Loose Parts Play
- Play Types Toolkit - Play Scotland
- Priorities in Play
- SOSCN Summer 2024 Activity Ideas
Support for play
There are lots of really engaging, interactive and informative websites to visit to find out all you will need to know about play. Follow the links below for more information related to play.
- Parent Club Scotland
- Play Scotland
- Play England
- Play Wales
- Playboard Northern Ireland
- International Play Association
- Thrive Outdoors
Please note, Perth and Kinross Council is not responsible for the content of external websites and apps.
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