The skills needed to face a rapidly changing future are exactly those which are developed through freely chosen, self directed play, demonstrates a new report from the Children’s Alliance.

As AI begins to transform life as we know it and the pace of change accelerates to a degree which is unprecedented, the skills needed to face an uncertain future are creativity, adaptability and flexibility of mind. These are all developed through freely chosen, self directed play – and as such, play must be prioritised by policy makers. This is the chief premise of a new report from the Children’s Alliance which sets out the evidence to support this view, and makes ten policy recommendations that would give play the prominence it requires.

They are:

• Recognise play as a fundamental right: Uphold children’s right to play in diverse settings prioritising free, unstructured play.
• Integrate play into educational policies
• Invest in play provision
• Prioritise play through cross-sector collaboration
• Prioritise lifelong learning and o er coordinated and dedicated training programs for sta working in schools, early years settings, family hubs, and children’s centres
• Promote parental engagement in play
• Update policies to reflect changing needs
• Address disparities in play opportunities
• Support children facing adversity
• Support children’s community initiatives

The Power of Play, Building a Creative Britain, can be accessed here.

A petition calling on the government to prioritise play as an integral part of child development is here