Playing in the mud is fun! But new research also shows it is transformative for children's health. Children who play in dirt have: 🦠 less disease-causing bacteria on their skin ⚪ increased T cells in the blood 🩺 better immune system regulation www.theguardian.com/environment/...

“Play is as natural to children as breathing. It is a universal expression of children, and it can transcend differences in ethnicity, language, or other aspects of culture.” Charles Schaefer and Athena Drewes:

Congratulations to Cherie Morgan, our outstanding Director of Projects, on her new role of CEO of Planning Aid Scotland! This is a great appointment and a well-deserved next step for someone who has brought vision, commitment, and warmth to everything she's led. Best wishes for your new role!

🚨 Report Published: Scottish School Grounds Survey Report 2025 We hope this report will inspire advocacy, investment, and innovation to ensure that all school grounds across Scotland are vibrant, inclusive spaces for play, learning, and community use. www.playscotland.org/resources/pr...

"Amid the grief, displacement, and uncertainty that mark the asylum seeker experience, play offered something universal and deeply human: relief. Connection. Joy." What a wonderful article about the power of play for healing! time.com/7327163/play...

"Excellent training, I have attended a lot of play training in the past, but this was one of the best for networking and useful guidance" Our 2026 training courses are now open for booking! They can fill up quickly, so please book your space in plenty of time: buytickets.at/playscotland

We're putting the finishing touches to our last newsletter of the year! Sign up as a member to receive the latest play news straight into your inbox, along with a great discount on training courses. playscotland.org/about/member...

Scotland's Highlights 2025: Scotland's Play Vision Statement and Action Plan was launched! A world-leading plan to support every child's right to play in Scotland through three domains of parents, practitioners, and place. #ScotlandHighlights2025

“the child’s right to health and development cannot be satisfied without also the fulfilment of their right to play.” Whitaker and Tonkin (2024) Play and Health in Childhood

🎄✨ One month to go until Christmas! ✨🎄 Before you start wrapping (and unwrapping!) this festive season, take a moment to think about the perhaps best toy of all... the cardboard box! 📦 👉 www.playscotland.org/the-best-toy...

We love hearing from our PPA schools 🥰 "The lead inspector was very complimentary about play in our setting. She told me it is good to see play being done properly and a lot of that is down to what I am learning through our award journey." Find out more 👇 www.playscotland.org/schools-chil...

"we should never be so old as merely to watch games instead of playing them" — Historian and philosopher Will Durant

Looking forward to the discussion at #Urban95 Glasgow Child Friendly City Summit on #WorldChildrensDay to see how a city that works for children is a city that works for everyone #Article31 #moreplayplease #playeveryday

Are you booked for our Risky Play Training? Book your place now to learn: 🤔 What is risk–benefit assessment, and how it supports informed decision-making ⚖️ How to adopt a balanced, thoughtful approach to risk in your setting www.tickettailor.com/events/plays...

One week left to apply to join our board! We are particularly interested in hearing from people with experience of: 👶 working with children and young people 💻 IT and websites 💼 HR or management 🕵️ policy & research 🗣️ comms Closing Friday 21 November www.playscotland.org/join-our-boa...

Children know best what makes their local spaces great for play! 🏞️ Engaging them through #PlaySufficiencyAssessments helps create playful, inclusive communities. Explore our guide 👉 www.playscotland.org/playful-comm...

Pleased to be attending a seminar at the Observatory of Children’s Human Rights to discuss how we can make the Children’s Rights Scheme work for children in Scotland #UNCRC #Article12 #Article31

Time spent playing outdoors has declined 50% in a generation. That’s half the joy, half the adventures, half the memories. Play isn't just fun, it is essential for healthy child development 💚

The Froebel workshop with Catriona Campbell & Caitlin Thomlinson was fantastic! Catriona reminded us that “communication unlocks the curriculum,” and Caitlin shared her brilliant block play research showing how deep learning unfolds through time, space & trust. #PlayPedagogy #Froebel

The Froebel session with Donna Green & Shirley Couser on slow pedagogy was a beautiful reminder to slow down & be truly present. Learning unfolds best when we create time & space for curiosity, reflection & connection. #SlowPedagogy #PlayPedagogy

Fiona, our Play Pedagogy Lead, attended the Froebel Conference, it began with an inspiring keynote from Catriona Gill on seeing, unfolding, flourishing, being & belonging. She reminded us that when we create the right conditions children flourish & that inclusion isn’t a policy, it’s a way of seeing

Fiona, our Play Pedagogy Lead, attended the Froebel Conference, it began with an inspiring keynote from Catriona Gill on seeing, unfolding, flourishing, being & belonging. She reminded us that when we create the right conditions children flourish & that inclusion isn’t a policy, it’s a way of seeing

Inclusive play equipment doesn’t just open up the park - it opens up the world. It says: 🌍 You belong here 🤝 You matter 🎉 You have a right to play too Every child deserves to see themselves reflected in their play spaces. www.playscotland.org/playful-comm...

🗣️ 🎙️ New podcast episode: Leanne Sweaton & Play Pedagogy Leanne is a Principal Teacher with 25 years of experience. Play has revolutionised her practice. Her work has been spotlighted by HMiE and Education Scotland and she has spoken nationally on this topic. www.spreaker.com/episode/50-l...

Sign up for free to receive our monthly newsletter! Get the latest play news straight into your inbox and get a 10% discount on all of our training courses. Become a member: www.playscotland.org/about/member...

🎃 Happy Halloween from Play Scotland! This is a hugely playful time of year with costumes, games, and make-believe. 👻 Scary stories or activities help build confidence and resilience. 🧟 Fancy dress and playing pretend encourage children to use their imagination

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world" - Albert Einstein Play gives children the opportunity, time, and space to explore their imaginations and develop their creativity!

Join our board! Board of Trustees Vacancies at Play Scotland We are seeking to grow our Board with passionate new volunteers bringing diverse skills and experience. Send us your CV and a short cover letter by Friday 21 November to apply: www.playscotland.org/join-our-boa...

🧩 Discover the transformative potential of Loose Parts Play Our online training covers: 📚 Theory and principles ⚖️ Manage risk in a safe way 🛠️ Creative, practical ideas Don't forget to use your member's code to get 10% off at checkout! Book your place now: www.tickettailor.com/events/plays...

Nature Play Survey 🍂 Dr Alex Barrable and her team at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh are looking to find out about parents' perception of nature play. If you are a parent of a child between 2-11 please take 10 mins to fill in the survey. app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/qmu/play-r...

Are you looking forward to Bonfire Night? Check out our play ideas and risk guidance that we created with Scottish Fire and Rescue www.playscotland.org/resources/pl...

How do we take a common-sense approach to risk in play? Watch our new video about the Benefit-Risk Approach The opportunity to face challenges is vital for healthy child development www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdDm...

We were delighted to host Faith Breads as our summer volunteer! She did a fantastic job supporting us with communications, events like the Playday campaign, and focus group research with children and young people. Read all about what Faith got up to in her blog: www.playscotland.org/faith-breads...

Delighted to be along with our delivery partners ScrapAntics on a great autumn 🍂 day for play at Whitfield Community Garden. Here til 2pm if you can get down to #playeveryday #playmoreplease

“An abundance of toys present reduced quality of toddlers’ play.” - Having fewer toys can lead a young child to focus and engage in more creative, imaginative play. That's according to research from the University of Toledo in Ohio. What do you think? 💭

New podcast episode: Inclusive Play Equipment In this episode, our former CEO, Marguerite Hunter Blai,r speaks to Paul Hoenigmann, Managing Director of Inclusive Play. www.spreaker.com/episode/49-i...

Hospital says toy MRI scanner helps save £150k A miniature toy MRI machine for children to play with has reduced stress, cost, and waiting times at Grantham District Hospital What a wonderful example of the power of play 💪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Paper Games Ideas! Perfect for the October holidays: Play doesn’t have to be expensive or include lots of toys. You can have fun, connect, and be creative with just a pen and paper! www.playscotland.org/resources/pa...

Play for all: Rights, Responsibility and Inclusive Practice Thu 9 October, 9:30-10:30am Covering: ⚖️ The legal context of play as a children's right 🧒 Your responsibility to provide inclusive opportunities 🎨 How to design inclusive play experiences Book now: www.tickettailor.com/events/plays...

Thanks to everyone who joined us yesterday for Playful Parents, Practitioners, and Places: Play Scotland AGM 2025 It was an uplifting afternoon hearing from world-leading play experts, reflecting on the past year, & celebrating our Play Champion Awards. www.playscotland.org/playful-pare...

With a full house of colleagues to discuss the New Story of Child Poverty in Scotland, ensuring we collectively present a persuasive, coherent message to effectively campaign for improvements in children’s outcomes. Claire Telfer, Save the Children sets the scene and introduces the new guide.

Does your school have a play policy? Come along to our training to learn how to design and implement a robust policy that supports a play pedagogy approach within your school. Don't forget to use your member code for 10% off at checkout! Book your place now: www.tickettailor.com/events/plays...

"The simplest things often open the door to the richest opportunities" Read our latest blog about The Power of Playdough 💪 Written by our Play Pedagogy Award Officer, Fiona Kirkland www.playscotland.org/the-power-of...

There is still time to book your place at our Annual General Meeting! Tue 30 Sept 2-4:30pm, Nicholson Square Venues, Edinburgh. We will showcase some of our proudest achievements from the past year and hear directly from world-leading experts on play www.tickettailor.com/events/plays...

🚨 Just one week left! 🚨 Scotland's Play Park Survey closes at midnight on Mon 29th Sept, so make sure you get your responses in by then. Please share with families with children so we can learn more about what you need and want from your local play spaces 😃 forms.office.com/e/WkPx8TnJwW

We’re proud to support @ScottishYouthParliament 2026–2031 Manifesto: Dear Scotland’s Future. Based on the views of almost 5,000 young people from across Scotland, we're calling for youth-specific spaces in local communities. Read the full manifesto here: syp.org.uk/manifesto/ #DearScotlandsFuture

New speaker announcement! Karen Sharp will be speaking at our AGM about the power of play and the importance of playwork qualifications. Tue 30 Sep 2-4:30pm, Nicholson Square Venues, Edinburgh www.tickettailor.com/events/plays...

Are you booked for our Risky Play Training? Book your place now to learn: 🤔 What is risk–benefit assessment, and how it supports informed decision-making ⚖️ How to adopt a balanced, thoughtful approach to risk in your setting www.tickettailor.com/events/plays...

20% of children spend 7 hours every day on mobile phones and tablets 📱 That's according to a study from Wales this year, which also found 24% of children and teenagers across Wales report that they do not have enough time to play and would like more opportunities.

CEO Mary Ramsay was delighted to meet Natalie Don-Innes, MSP, Minister for Children, Young People & The Promise and representatives of EL Council to discuss the impact of the Play Park Renewal Fund which aims to provide inclusive play spaces for children. Please fill in the survey: lnkd.in/eigxmsVA