FORUM: "It's time to play." International Day of Play 2026. Play is essential to healthy childhood development and well-being . It supports children in
building social and emotional skills, strengthening creativity and problem solving,
developing resilience and forming meaningful connections .
However , children today are experiencing a growing play deficit. Globally, time and access
to play are shrinking due to increased scheduling pressures, reduced safe public space,
economic strain on families, and evolving social and digital environments.
Despite its importance, many of our public environments are not designed to support free
and unstructured play. This limits opportunities for children to explore, connect and grow
in ways that shape lifelong well-being. This global observance recognizes the critical
role of play in supporting children’s health,
learning and development, and calls on
governments, institutions and communities to
prioritize play in everyday life. The celebration has the potential to be
a powerful and unique moment to advance
Article 31 of the Convention o n the Rights of the
Child and ensure every child enjoys the ir right to play.
The international day can make a difference by galvanizing national and local
governments, the private sector and global civil society annually . It creates a unifying
moment to elevate the importance of play as central to children’s learning and
contributing to the well -being and positive mental health of parents, caregivers and
children. A moment for all of us to celebrate play and to call on governments and other
stakeholders to ensure that every child can enjoy their right to play. Play is not just fun - it is essential for children’s learning, wellbeing, creativity and emotional development. Every child deserves safe spaces to play, caring adults to play with them and opportunities to learn through joyful experiences. Let’s protect every child’s right to play. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #11June, #InternationalDayofPlay,#Righttoplay, #Chooseplayeveryday, #LearningThroughPlay, #players.
EVENTS: On Thursday, June 11th an High-level event will be held at the United Nations Headquarters to mark the Intenational Day of Play 2026.
This high-level event brings together children, Member States, and partners to champion every child's right to play and drive global commitments. The International Day of Play (IDOP) is a global observance dedicated to championing every child's right to play. At UN Headquarters, the 2026 High-Level Event will convene children, Member States, UN agencies, civil society, and private sector partners to highlight leadership, showcase commitments, and advance action to protect and promote play worldwide. The event will feature high-level remarks, child-led segments, the launch of a global data report on play and statement of commitments from Member States. With a focus on safe and healthy play spaces, alongside other accelerators such as playful parenting and learning through play, IDOP 2026 will reinforce the importance of play as essential to children's development and well-being. We would be grateful for UN WebTV's support in livestreaming the event and capturing it for wider global dissemination. Please find attached a thumbnail/graphic, and also the concept note and draft agenda. Do let us know if any additional information is required. Many thanks in advance for your support. Get the Concept Note & Agenda and Register to participate!
LIVESTREAM: Watch the International Day of Play 2026 High-Level Event!
LIVESTREAM: Watch the International Day of Play 2026 High-Level Event!
SHORT E-COURSE: Play Matters: Advocating for a World of Play.
Promote a deeper understanding of the role of play in childhood and adolescence, exploring its impact on various aspects of development.
Play Matters
Play serves a physiologic function in human growth. Play helps kids learn how to navigate the world. Children acquire language and learning skills, emotional regulation, and problem-solving abilities through play. Early play-based learning lays the groundwork for all subsequent learning. In addition to being the cornerstones of attachment, belonging, mental health, growth mindset, collaborative ability, and the complete spectrum of 21st century skills, free play is also essential in the context of positive parenting and high-quality pre-school education. Play is an investment that we cannot afford to overlook. UNICEF aims to develop an online advocacy course to educate civil society organizations, parents/caregivers, educators, policymakers, and other advocacy networks, about the importance of play in childhood and early adolescence. This course will equip participants with evidence-based strategies to foster positive developmental outcomes, and advocate for play as a fundamental right for all children.
Learning objectives: The main objective of this online course is to promote a deeper understanding of the role of play in childhood and adolescence, exploring its impact on various aspects of development, and how to champion play as a right for every child.
Audience
Parents, caregivers, and family networks of kids 0-13 years
Early childhood educators
Teachers and school administrators
Childcare providers
Health practitioners
Community leaders and policymakers
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focused on child development and rights
Youth advocates
Length: 8 modules with an average of 5-minute videos. It should take you about 50 minutes to complete this self-paced course.
Methodology: This course is composed of an introduction, 8 modules (comprised of a short video and a quiz) and a conclusion.
Structure: This course consists of the following sections: a course landing page, a course information page, followed by modules 1-8, and lastly a summary page. Each module consists of a module video, a Playback Quiz, a “Let’s Play!” activity and lastly a further reading section.
Contact details: Content issues and questions: Oluwatosin Akingbulu (oakingbulu@unicef.org) and Victor Arkoh Acquaah (vacquaah@unicef.org); Course and learner management: Oluwatosin Akingbulu (oakingbulu@unicef.org); Additional course managers: Benjamin Perks (bperks@unicef.org), Radhika Mitter (rmitter@unicef.org).
Early childhood educators
Teachers and school administrators
Childcare providers
Health practitioners
Community leaders and policymakers
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focused on child development and rights
Youth advocates
Length: 8 modules with an average of 5-minute videos. It should take you about 50 minutes to complete this self-paced course.
Methodology: This course is composed of an introduction, 8 modules (comprised of a short video and a quiz) and a conclusion.
Structure: This course consists of the following sections: a course landing page, a course information page, followed by modules 1-8, and lastly a summary page. Each module consists of a module video, a Playback Quiz, a “Let’s Play!” activity and lastly a further reading section.
Contact details: Content issues and questions: Oluwatosin Akingbulu (oakingbulu@unicef.org) and Victor Arkoh Acquaah (vacquaah@unicef.org); Course and learner management: Oluwatosin Akingbulu (oakingbulu@unicef.org); Additional course managers: Benjamin Perks (bperks@unicef.org), Radhika Mitter (rmitter@unicef.org).
This activity or course is open to self-enrolment: START LEARNING
The International Day of Play is an opportunity to build on, connect and elevate these existing efforts – and to make them visible.
A network of organizations – including UN agencies, NGOs and the private sector – committed to driving a global play movement for children everywhere for generations to come. This movement has developed three accelerators for play : 1. Universal access to evidence -based parenting programs from childhood to early adolescence (playful parenting) 2. Universal access to early childhood education (learning through play) 3. Safe and environmentally healthy play spaces for every child and early adolescent (space to play) . All three outcomes are universal – applicable from humanitarian settings to high -income country contexts – do -able, evidence -backed and aim to be the most impactful ways to advance the right to play for every child. They are linked to the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and are inclusive of all children who experience barriers to play through discrimination and exclusion, including girls and children with disabilities. Based on th ese three accelerators, the global call to action for national and local governments, businesses and other stakeholders is: 1. Scale up services, including parenting programmes, that promote play and attachment 2. Enable access to pre -school and learning through play for every 3 - to 6 -year -old 3. Ensure every child has access to safe, inclusive, and well -maintained play areas. This global call to action is supported by a growing list of organizations from around the world.
To promote the right to play for all children, cities and municipalities worldwide are encouraged to celebrate the International Day of Play and champion playful experiences as central to community well -being. The theme for 2026 is “Protect play, protect childhood” . It is a reminder for all of us – governments, businesses, schools and families – that happy and healthy childhoods are built on play.
Cities are encouraged to enable play initiatives around International Day of Play. These initiatives aim to prioritize children’s play in residential streets or public spaces close to home, helping make children’s right to play accessible, visible and actionable. Cities may choose one or more approaches based on local capacity and priorities:
Host a central public event that bring s together families, community organizations and local partners. Examples include temporarily closing a main street or public square for children’s play, turning a park or central plaza into a Play Zone, or hosting a high profile “International Day of Play” event with officials joining children in play activities.
Encourage multiple small -scale play activities across parks, libraries, community centr es and public spaces ; Encourage local communities to reclaim the streets for play by designating a safe street or another public space for children’s play on 11 June. “Play Streets” or “Play Zones” can be organized by local communities and adapted to local contexts and regulations. They are low -cost, highly visible and foster community connection around children’s right to play. Many cities already have permitting systems or community frameworks – such as block parties, neighbourhood events or public space use regulations – that can be adapted to support Play Streets. Cities are encouraged to identify and leverage these existing mechanisms to reduce barriers for local organizers.
PUBLICATION: A guide for Cities and Municipalities.
The International Day of Play is an opportunity to build on, connect and elevate these existing efforts – and to make them visible.
The global play movement
A network of organizations – including UN agencies, NGOs and the private sector – committed to driving a global play movement for children everywhere for generations to come. This movement has developed three accelerators for play : 1. Universal access to evidence -based parenting programs from childhood to early adolescence (playful parenting) 2. Universal access to early childhood education (learning through play) 3. Safe and environmentally healthy play spaces for every child and early adolescent (space to play) . All three outcomes are universal – applicable from humanitarian settings to high -income country contexts – do -able, evidence -backed and aim to be the most impactful ways to advance the right to play for every child. They are linked to the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and are inclusive of all children who experience barriers to play through discrimination and exclusion, including girls and children with disabilities. Based on th ese three accelerators, the global call to action for national and local governments, businesses and other stakeholders is: 1. Scale up services, including parenting programmes, that promote play and attachment 2. Enable access to pre -school and learning through play for every 3 - to 6 -year -old 3. Ensure every child has access to safe, inclusive, and well -maintained play areas. This global call to action is supported by a growing list of organizations from around the world.
Why cities matter?
Cities shape the spaces, policies and
programmes that influence how families live,
gather and play every day.
Urban environments increasingly present
barriers to play: Traffic hazards, air pollution, the
privati zation of public space and the
densification of cities have all contributed to a
significant reduction in children's access to free,
unstructured play. Cities are uniquely placed to
reverse this trend , and to create environments
where children can thrive.
Municipal leadership has the power to:
• Strengthen family -centered community design
• Expand access to safe and inclusive play spaces
• Support holistic child well -being
• Engage children and youth as partners in shaping play initiatives, not only
beneficiaries
• Elevate play as a shared community value
Many cities are already investing in play through parks, playgrounds, early childhood
programmes and public space design. In particular, cities participating in the UNICEF -led
Child Friendly Cities Initiative, active in around 35 countries, can have a driving role in
promoting the right to play nationally and globally, ensuring all children in their cities can
enjoy their right to play.
Promoting the right to play in 2026
Ways your city can participate
1. Citywide celebration with local government or city leaders.
2. Micro -activations across neighbourhoods.
3. School and youth engagement.
Partner with schools and other youth -serving institutions to integrate play -based learning
and celebration into classrooms and programmes
4. Public awareness and storytelling.
Cities can help elevate the importance of play by sharing local activities and stories
through their communications channels, including social media. Highlighting how
communities are celebrating can help build momentum and inspire others.
Where appropriate, cities may use #InternationalDayofPlay to connect with broader
efforts and amplify local impact. Cities can also choose to tag partners .
More broadly , the International Day of Play is an occasion to connect and spotlight
existing play initiatives across the city, building public awareness of the breadth of the
city's commitment to children's right to play.
When orga nizing such spaces and events , cities and municipalities should ensure that
children and young people have a meaningful role in shaping how they come to life. When
children help design and lead play activations, in particular in their own neighborhoods,
they become agents of change – and play becomes not just an activity, but an expression
of their rights and their voice in the city .
Cities and municipalities are invited to leverage their play commitments throughout the
year – not only on 11 June. Play initiatives can be connected to the local development plan,
other local milestones, awareness days and community events across the calendar. By marking International Day of Play, cities:
• Demonstrate visible leadership in child well -being and community health
• Join a growing global community of cities and municipalities championing
children's right to play
• Strengthen community connection and civic pride
• Elevate children ’s play as a model for joyful and resilient communities
• Get access to participation resources and communications support
Spotlight: International Day of Play in action
In Boston, United States , the city marked the inaugural International Day of Play in 2024
with a citywide celebration, engaging thousands of children through cross -sector
partnerships. The day was filled with sports, biking, board games, bubbles, face painting,
arts and crafts, dance and music, and many other play experiences. In 2025,
neighbourhood -based activations expanded access to play across communities.
In the Netherlands , many of UNICEF's Child Friendly Cities celebrated International Day
of Play in 2025 with an emphasis on play outdoors. In Gooise Meren, the mayor joined
children for outdoor play. In Diemen, children played street football. In Eemsdelta, young
children e xplored chalk -drawing and outdoor games in a rural courtyard. In Hellendoorn,
a play kit was donated to a local school. In Den Haag, groups of children headed outside
with balls and backpacks. On the island of Sint Eustatius, a play station was set up
outd oors. On the island of Saba, children gathered outside kindergartens with scavenger
hunt materials and bingo cards.
How to get started?
Participating cities are invited to visit www.InternationalDayofPlay.org for more
information. The landing page is available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish and
includes :
• The 2026 theme and global call to action.
• Key messages about the importance of play.
• Free and fun play activities for all the family .
• Ways to get involved and support every child’s right to play.
• Inspiring examples of how International Day of Play has been celebrated around
the world.
Cities and municipalities that part icipate in the UNICEF-led Child Friendly Cities Initiative
may contact their UNICEF national office for more information. If you are interested in
learning more about the initiative, please visit: www.childfriendlycities.org
This guide was developed by the LEGO Group and UNICEF, 2026.
UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.
