Your Voice on Play
Community Voices
People from all walks of life are speaking up for play. Here are some of their thoughts:
This is such a great initiative highlighting the importance of play for childhood development
Sports Administrator
To observe a child, young person or an adult play is fascinating. It is inherent to a child's development, it is like watching them breathe. The benefits of play are profound and should not be underestimated. It is important for us to advocate for play as a right of all children and young people. Play Matters!
Teacher
Play is an innate drive in every child and each child’s right to play must be protected and supported. Children find out about the world and make sense of their world through play. It is essential for their social and emotional well-being that each child can exercise their agency and choice through self-initiated and self-directed play.
Pre-primary teacher
Play is how children learn... also how adults learn best
University lecturer
The KIDDO program values the vital role of play in child development. KIDDO is committed to promoting the importance of play to educators, coaches and parents.
KIDDO Program Director
Goodstart Early Learning remains committed to ensuring Australia’s children have the best possible start in life. In doing so we recognise the value and importance of play for children and the learning, development and wellbeing outcomes this provides children at a time in children’s life that matters the most. We appreciate and value the Play Matters Collective's work to develop and advocate for the importance of play with the WA Play Charter.
State Manager
At AWESOME, we see the value of play in children's lives and fully support the WA Play Charter.
Admin Manager
Play is a right for all children
Home Keeper
I am a play advocate and totally support all of the components of the WA Play Charter and I would love to learn more and be involved more!!! Thank you for all the work you do!!!
Occupational Therapist
Thank You for advocating for our children
Play Worker
I support a more playful world for the children
Accountant
FANTASTIC!
Lecturer
Play is how children learn, experience; and ,make sense of their their world and how they identify themselves.
ECE
I am delighted that we, in WA, collectively agree that PLAY MATTERS! As an early childhood educator I fully support PLAY as and for learning - for life - all ages, all stages. Being free to play, use our imagination, explore our curiosity and be open to possibility needs to be endorsed as essential for our wellbeing both physical and mental and as a means of connecting, contributing and creating community and a society that is accepting and inclusive - play matters. Let's play together
Principal Educator
Play is the foundation for all learning.
Teacher
Let’s make this Australia wide !
Teacher
Please let them play
Business Owner
So lovely to see the play charter come to life. It looks fantastic, well done!
PhD researcher
I believe play in natural environments is essential to the development, physically and emotionally, of children and young people.
Lecturer
The play, Is More important in the life of children and your developement.
Teacher
I wholeheartedly support the Play Strategy as children have a right to learn through play and set themselves up for the best start in life.
Academic Researcher
Westminster ESC highly values play and incorporates as much as possible into the students learning.
Deputy Principal
Play is so important for a child's development including to be physically, mentally and socially healthy.
Health Promotion Officer- Schools
I am advocating for play!
Teacher
Play and learn
Manager
I believe in children s play. Creating play memory helps children to create their childhood. Play supports children fine, gross , social and emotional skill. Parents/caregivers who support children’s play and share the play experience helps children to acknowledge the world around them and respect diversity.
OT
Awesome idea! and it's about time that the importance of play is being recognized in this way - thankyou
Child Care Director
Play is a complete, organic, form of education & should be encouraged for as long as possible & at least the first 7 years.
Home Educator
I am in the process of starting a bush kindergarten which, to me, demonstrates my commitment to play and the unquestioning belief that play is the foundation for children's learning, growth and development. I see so many children unhappy because their play is restricted, and as professionals, we all know in our hearts and from reading research that play IS how children learn, and children need the space, time and environment to play.
Teacher and Business Owner
As an educator it is becoming increasingly difficult to run a play based program. This charter will give strength to our beliefs.
Teacher in Charge
Congratulations....Brilliant and very important initiative which will positively assist social well being, mental and physical health in children and their parents
Paediatrician
Play is so important for kids should be kids
Health.
Just let them play!
Biologist
I support this initiative.
CEO
Play is the foundation for child development and helps build resilience which is important for mental well being. For this reason I endorse the Play Charter.
Lecturer
Play in all forms, more so outdoors and in the company of others builds resilience; emotional, social and physical skills.
Teacher
We need more schools joining the journey of play.
Principal
Standing together to bring back play based education for all.
Early Childhood Educator
Play is the most important vehicle for children's learning
Teacher
Play is important part of childhood development and needs to be valued as such.
Registered Nurse
Play is not just about wellbeing and happiness. It is executive functioning, social skills, practical learning, embodied learning and emotional intelligence.
Coach
Thank you for doing such important work! Play is the occupation of childhood and should so rightly be protected and respected in a world that seems to push us towards adulthood so quickly.
Occupational Therapist
Well Done! I hope other states can follow your lead.
Teacher
Thank you 🙂
Principal Lecturer
Play or role play is the best way for children to build the foundational skills and love for more formal learning as they get older. And it's good for all of us at any age
President
More play please for our young students.. ❤️
Education Assistant
Play - as the natural and intuitive way of children's development - should always be encouraged!
Managing Director
Just as children should have a right to an education, children must have the right to play and enjoy it. It's fundamental and a basic need, following love, health, safety and nutrition. It's hard to believe we need to head down the 'play charter' path. Clearly there is a need. I totally support this work!
Education
The first few years of a child’s life is crucial to learning life skills, how do children learn these skills.... through positive role models and play. Play is crucial to a child’s development.
Senior Lecturer Early Childhood
Play outdoors allows children to develop connection to the natural world. We must provide unstructured play opportunities for all children to play and learn outdoors, in nature, with nature and about nature.
Early Childhood Teacher
Our education department and curriculum makers have lots the art of play for our children. We are asking things of very young children that they are simply not developmentally ready for. Children need to have a chance to learn through discovery, art, games and PLAY! Here's hoping for a better future for us all.
Early childhood education assistant
Play is essential to the well being of every child.
Business Consultant
Congratulations WA on the development of the Play Charter. I started my early childhood education studies and career in WA...before relocating to Queensland. I have always kept abreast of WA ECE initiatives. I commend Dr Sandra Hestermann & Nature Play WA for their passionate commitment to advocating for play in children’s life and learning. Best wishes with promoting the Play Charter.
Early Childhood Educator
Children require opportunity to play and explore so they have the freedom to be creative and adventurous. This is how they learn best, it is intrinsically motivated by the child building a sense of wonder for them about their world and a strong sense of self. Play equals learning, equals development, equals school readiness.
Early Years Place coordinator
As a mother to 3 and an advocate for less screen time and more play time I love this initiative! More unstructured playtime is needed in our schools and homes to help children use their imagination, natural curiosity and creativity.
Camp Event Coordinator
I whole heatedly agree with the Play Charter and it's objective.
Florist
Putting kids at desks for hours when they are five/six is crazy! No wonder mental health is a rising issue! I am quite literate for my extra years in the sandpit so I firmly believe there was plenty of time for academics before they lowered the age of kids starting formal schooling and reduced their play/kindy time. What were they thinking and how could we devalue the social skills learned during unstructured play???
PHD Candidate
The Parent Management Committee and Teaching Staff of Bullsbrook Community Kindergarten fully endorse the Play Matters Collective. We believe that play is extremely important in a child's life as it helps to create a happy, healthy all round child with the resilience they need to take on the big wide world. Good Luck with your endeavour.
early childhood teacher
We strongly support the Charter. It is vital children are given many opportunities to play, and especially without screens and other electronics.
Principal
Very supportive of this charter which will help protect and advocate for children's right to play.
Research Fellow
As a long term educator who is passionate about allowing our young children to thrive I completely endorse the WA Play Charter and hope that the people, schools educators and politicians will listen and ensure that all our young children have the right to play.
Industrial Officer
Love it!!
FDC Support Coordinator
I endorse the WA Play Charter and support young children's right to play.
Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education
Play is essential and every parent needs to know this! It forms the foundation of a child's learning.
Educator Support Officer
Play forever!!
Early childhood educator
Such an important message!
Teacher & Admin
I believe that play is learning and the experience is essential for growth and development as well as for mental health and well-being. Play is important for humans and is a need rather than a want. Play is important for thriving and living. An essential component of play is having fun. And having fun in life is important to a sense of well-being and health in general. Play also enhances our relationships and is important across the lifespan.
Psychologist
We at South Ballajura believe play and experiential learning is essential for the development of children's physical, emotional and intellectual development.
Principal
Brilliant! I look forward to play being part of the curriculum.
Health Poressional
I would love to be more involved in the Play Matters Collective roll out. I am passionate about play in our kindergartens and I am saddened to see programs like Lets Decode, EDI and making children at age 3 & 4 be accountable for their learning. Using learning tools such as TAPPLE and Engagement Norms in kindy is totally inappropriate and I have seen it in many kindergartens recently. the push down of curriculum....wanting children to "have ago" writing retells is just ridiculous. Forcing teachers to use power point presentations for each lesson is just ludicrous when we know that children in kindergarten learn best through hands on, using concrete materials. I have been at my Community Kindergarten now for 11 years and the change saddens me deeply as linked schools push down their teaching regimes and make these regimes a part of a teachers performance management process. Unfortunately the Code of Conduct that hangs over many teachers heads stops them from being vocal. I myself have received my own disciplinary letter in the past for voicing my views to the current Premier about the lack of play based learning in our kindergartens. My greatest wish would be for this.....PLAY BASED LEARNING.... to be a reality and not something I do behind closed doors after I have been performance appraised. Thankyou for continuing to promote play based learning.
early childhood teacher
Someone once said: “Children carry the hopes, values, knowledge & culture of a community into the future. They link the past and the future – however their life is in the here & now. Therefore, if there is anything we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it & see if it is not something that could be changed in ourselves"
Early Years Consultant
As a Grandparent I strongly support the WA Play Charter of encouraging children to play and explore their environment. Play Matters Collective are commended in drafting this charter.
Draftsman
Let the children play and reclaim CHILDHOOD!! Play is a child's right and critical to their health, learning and wellbeing. Let's do this WA, Australia and the world.
Early Childhood Centre Director
Congratulations to all involved. Play is a very important aspect of life for everyone. My generation got to play a lot in all sorts of different environments. It is a shame that the emphasis now seems to be on creating play areas that are considered safe and hygienic. To me they are just variations of a theme.
Principal
All children have the right to FREEDOM OF PLAY
Homeschool tutor
Life is becoming busier and busier with more and more distractions for both young people and adults. The shift I've seen from outdoors to indoors in my lifetime, with my own young people, is hard to reconcile at times. What used to be a pleasurable treat is becoming a battle likened to punishment in the daily routine. While we are busy surviving today, young people are missing out on the skills they need to survive tomorrow and the future. To me, extended, unstructured outdoor play is critical to help build the adaptable and resilient individuals who create the communities of the future. When I see young people in an environment (like John Forrest National Park) where there is no option but to explore and create their own fun, they come to life. The flowing water becomes a playground and the bush, rocks, wildlife and friendships become the bedrock of stories for years to come. The transformation is wonderful to watch, the joy infectious and the deep sleep peaceful. I fully support the Play Charter and believe it is part of our young people's human rights.
Founder
I endorse the play charter
Teacher
Maria Montesori said "Play is children's work" Children are being expected to attend formal education earlier and earlier meaning that they have less And less opportunity to practice the basic skills that they need prior to formal education. It is unreasonable to expect three and a half year old's to be able to sit and focus for long periods of time. Let them learn through play.
Manager Childcare Services
"play is purposeful and not idle, and that meaning is created through hands-on play activities" Fredric Froebel
Senior Lecturer
The Curtin School of Education supports and endorses the beliefs of the Play Charter. We are aspiring to commit to the Play Charter across all of our teacher education courses.
Teacher Education
Connecting children with nature in the early years provides a platform for children to develop an understanding of their role in the natural system whilst nuturing connections in, for and about nature which may lead to the development of long term sustainable environmental practices.
outdoor education
WONDERFUL!
Provider/Director
Play is critical to learning and development for children, and helps with emotional regulation and growth. Play every day.
Administration Manager
Great initiative
Park Manager
I totally support the Charter of the Children's Right to Play
Social Worker
As the advocate for 300 FDC Educators, play is essential to all multi-sensory, cognitive, S/Em learning and the conduit to strengthen academic learning/performance. however some services prohibit their educators from engaging in many adventurous play experiences. therefore, I'm in the process of collating a library to promote the benefits and the risk assessment and mitigation strategies to support, early engagement resulting in the children being able to self-assess their capabilities, strength and knowledge to judge if the challenge is within their ZPD.
ECE
Great initiative. Glad to be a part of it.
Retired teacher
The charter says it all - our kids need, and thrive, in play based learning environments. Be a role model and endorse this evidence based approach.
Parent
I would very much like to see more play in the school curriculum - both during class time and increased play time.
Historian
All the members of OMEP or the World Organisation for Early Childhood Education share the beliefs of the value of play articulated in the WA Play Charter and will continue to work to protect, advocate for, respect and promote children's right to play.
Early Childhood Educator
Play is vital in a child's development, it helps with self confidence, creativity, risk taking in a safe environment. It helps a child understand who they are and how they learn about the world they live in.
retired teacher
LOVE this. Play is essential to the physical and mental wellbeing of children and we need more more MORE of these initiatives to remind those that work with children that 'play is a child's 'work'"
ECEC Lecturer
I endorse the WA Play Charter 100% and organisations like Nature Play have made outdoor play a priority over screen time and academic achievement. Let's encourage our children to get outside and enjoy the amazing surrounds we are blessed to have in Perth!
Fulltime Mum
Children have a right to learn through play.
Seamstress
I have always advocated for play based learning and it’s importance in children’s development. Although retired I still continue to advocate for the importance of play and nature’s role in children’s lives. We must continue to press for changes to how we educate our children and to build resilience, confidence and inquiring minds. Play is critical to children’s overall development. I thoroughly endorse the play charter and will promote it at all times.
Retired
So crazy that we have to endorse playing! Play is a child’s right!
Teacher
I support the Play Charter
Architect
Playing out door is so vital. It teaches them life skills that they will take into their adulthood. Adults are always encouraged to release the inner child. This is where the fond memories of playing outdoors camping, bush walking, climbing trees exploring in mother nature. Will be used as tools and happy spots to get through the pressure of becoming a teenager and young adult when it becomes complicated.
Education Assitant
Play Matters!!! When we all share the value of play as fundamental to children's healthy development with our families and the broader community we will help to raise children that are caring, creative and compassionate advocates for the earth. Outdoor classrooms are my dream and passion for every child.
Kindergarten Teacher
Learning through play
Mother and small business owner
I endorse the play charter.
Play therapist
I believe play is integral to children's learning and development. I stand by, and work to support, the UN Rights of Children.
Program Support Officer
Thanks for working so hard to protect the rights of our children and to support the way children learn.
Early childhood teacher
Brilliant initiative!
Research fellow – Artist scholar
It seems sad to think little kids are being forced to sit behind desks and punished for instinctively wanting to play, when play will ultimately teach them more than any structured lesson could.
Journalist
Play IS the work of the child.
Mother
An invaluable foundation to support our kids and our future planning
Academic – public health
The right to play is so important for all children to enjoy so that they can develop into healthy, confident adults.
Parent
I wholeheartedly stand behind this message. Play is a link to a child’s mental, physical, emotional & spiritual health. If we want to build healthier human beings, there needs to be more play and more learning in the natural environment.
Creative Guide-Teacher
Truly necessary and crucial work, play must be central to everything involving children
Playground Designer and Horticulturist
I am allowing my children an extra year of play.
Mother
I love your play Charter- I still believe that we need a better definition of play including videos of the definitions in practice.
Teacher
Protecting children's right to a childhood of play
Educator
I strongly support the beliefs of the WA Play Charter and the positive outcomes it seeks to achieve for the children of Western Australia.
Landscape Architect
Play has been much eroded by the push down in education and the ridiculous way of testing 3 and 4 year old children and it is vitally important that all early childhood education is play beard.
Newly retired teacher
The Teachers and Parent Committee at Mullaloo Community Kindergarten are proud to endorse the WA Play Charter and support a more playful world for the children our community.
Parent Committee President
Play is fundamental in kids’ learning.
Education Assistant
100% support this charter. I have 3 children, 2 of whom do not have learning difficulties and the education system is still very intense and puts too much pressure. 1 of my children finds learning very difficult and his self esteem is severely affected, he is only 7 and continually calls himself stupid...... “most” children get through our education system however for the ones that struggle it can cause lifelong issues with confidence and mental health such as anxiety and depression.
Cabin crew
Having the time and opportunity for play is essential for all children, teens and adults.
Operations Manager
I believe play is of vital importance for childrens brain development. Research supports this.
Mother
Brilliant. A job well done. We will all be better at advocating for play with common language and understanding.
Teacher and Founder of E.L.F
Play based education is evidenced based, holistically, the very best for children!
Teacher
I endorse the WA Play Charter
IT Professional
Play is vital. Children's need for it is deep and instinctive. It drives learning and increases their well being. It is not prized as highly as it should be - it should be nurtured and held up as the most important thing kids can do.
Educator/ Writer
Play is essential for socialization & mental & physical health. Children learn so much from unstructured play - it allows them to be creative and make sense of their world.
Teacher
Congratulations. Play has always been so important to the development of happy well rounded children but in this ever more complicated world of ours it takes on an absolutely essential role .
Retired teacher/project Manager
At Ngala, we advocate and prioritise for the child’s right to play through all our services and programs. The simplicity of play is vital to the fundamentals of childhood learning and development. That is why, at Ngala, we endorse the WA Play Charter and commit to promote the value of learning through play, contributing to raising the happiness of children, adolescents and adults in WA.
Ngala
Let them be little. Let them learn. Let them play. Love everything the charter stands for!
Teacher/business owner
We must restore play to it's rightful place in childhood.
Author
so important!
Lecturer
Play a foundation of life and learning.
Tutor
I think we need to protect the play of children as it is the way that they learn and grow.
Parent
There is no substitute for getting outside and interacting with the real world. Erasmus said: your library is your paradise. I say your library is another hand to hold in your journey of imagination and universe.
Library Manager
Play is the only way when teaching early childhood
Teacher
Play is vital for every child’s well being. It is the developmentally appropriate way they learn social skills, regulation, and other life skills. Play can not be missed out!
Violin teacher
As someone who has worked in the Child Care Industry for well over 30 years, I acknowledge and endorse the importance of play in children's development.
Elected Member
As a student, a teenager, a child I know how crucial play is to my mental health, and I believe it will be nothing but beneficial to promote mental and emotional well being through the art of play.
Student
Great initiative
Director
Play is essential for children’s well-being. It cannot be neglected. It should be front and centre of our priorities when providing for children’s education and care.
Teacher
Very worthwhile document - thank you on behalf of the children in WA!
Parent
We endorse a playful approach to learning and teaching
Teacher
Let's make the WA Play Strategy a reality!
Univeristy Lecturer
Let our children play!
Early Childhood Teacher
The importance of providing adequate time for unstructured play is critical. Children learn about their sense of self, how to manage situations with others, how to problem solve and build an understanding of the world around them. Taking this away in favour of more and more pushed down academics only leads to anxious children who will get there when they are ready! Let them be little!
Kindergarten Teacher
Play is more than important ,it is essential. I’m worried about it’s decline in children’s lives especially at school.
Incursions Officer
Play is the right of each child.
Teacher
Yes, I whole-heartedly endorse the play charter.
Physiotherapist
Play matters and is a right for all children.
Early Childhood Teacher
Play is learning. We keep talking about resilience training and empathy training and kindness training but if we just let kids back to real, natural unstructured play all this and so much more is developed, reinforced and cemented within each child. Let them play!!
Mum
I support and implement play based learning within my Year 1 classroom!
Teacher
Let them play, let them love and learn.
Geologist and MUM
As a retired early childhood teacher and a current Joey Scout leader, I firmly believe that children need play as a fundamental right and that is is essential for future learning.
retired
Put more free play in school Less structured environment More nature play Protect brain integration If emotional health is present then learning happens
Cleaner
I endorse the WA Play Chater
Early Childhood Education
To many kids are getting labelled as the "naughty kid" simply because they can't do what is natural to them and that is play.
Mother
Wonderful initiative and great to see we finally have this in WA. Play is essential to every aspect of a child's development and life journey.
TAFE lecturer
We must have play in the student curriculum. School needs to be enjoyable and play plays an important aspect of children's growth and development. its not all about NAPLAN scores.
Union organiser
This is brilliant and we all need to endorse such initiatives for our children and their rights!
Early Years Teacher
Most of my adult patients see me in part because they need to learn to play. It’s a sad world when we don’t honour a child’s need and right to play and to play freely.
Psychotherapist
I am proud to endorse the WA Play Charter. This is a testament to importance and benefits of play in the lives of children.
State Manager
Play is important for healthy cognitive, physical and mental development and should be a focus in Early Childhood programmes today.
Teacher
Play is an absolutely essential experience for children in order for them to be able develop holistically across all domains of growth.
Teacher
Cannot support this initiative enough.
Teacher
This paves the way for a happy, healthy future for our children!
Teacher
It’s time to play! Time to create, imagine, learn, socialise, to have fun!!
Early childhood Educator
Play is important to a child’s development and also social skills
Team lead
Play is a essential and inalienable right of every child.
Retired (former Charity CEO)
Supporting daily play, inside and outside the classroom.
Primary Principal
Let's let the kids be kids for as long as possible and fight the very high expectations and pressure the society puts on them from such a young age.
Change Manager
Such an important document. Well done on all the work getting this done!
Occupational Therapist
A fantastic initiative supported by wonderful individuals and organisations.
Chief Executive Officer
Undeniable value to the individual and teh community
Community Planning Consultant
So much academic push down on our little people is poor practice, developmentally inappropriate and stressful for students and teachers. Stop the focus on data and bring back the play.
ECE teacher
A wonderful initiative and such an important focus for education. Congratulations to all involved.
Director
I fully endorse the value of play as critical to a child’s learning, development and well-being.
Business Owner
Let decision makers know the importance of play in high quality education.
Educator
Play is a child’s right !
Early childhood teacher
The Play Charter is a terrific example of the nexus between research evidence and practice.
professor
My wife is a teacher and puts her heart and sole in to teacher young children but I am continuously frustrated when i hear her stories of children being forced to sit at desks to rote learn. I have seen the passion slowly dwindling from my wife's teaching as she constantly fights the hierarchy in her school to stop forcing children to learn through rigid techniques that don't suit all. She talks constantly about the importance of play and how this is disappearing from her kindergarten. As an onlooker I see a passionate teacher dying and she is swallowed up by those at the top who think they know best, and many of who have not taught in a kindergarten EVER!!!!!!!
Manager
play is important to all children, no matter what their circumstances
Play Specialist
We need to reclaim childhood and protect and promote play for wellbeing and learning. Children's 'work' is to play and we believe that this is the best and most exciting way to learn, especially when play happens outdoors within nature.
Co-Founder
I’m tired and saddened to see pp children not wanting to go to school. To see them sitting for over an hour at mat sessions, to see their out door play restricted to such a short time.
ECE Teacher
I endorse the WA Play charter
Communications
Real Stories, Real Impact
Last year I presented a box of electronic equipment (globes, wires, low voltage power packs – all
equipment that they had used the previous year) to a group of year 8s. As it was the first lesson in
the series, the instructions were along the lines of ‘have a play, see what happens’. All were in my
sight, no safety issues. To my surprise over half of them just stood there. ‘What if I get it wrong?’ I
was asked. I replied that there was no ‘wrong’.
All but one group then started to experiment clicking wires and globes together. The final group was
still not moving, so I worked with them to guide exploration. Although this is not the standard
understanding of ‘play’, it seemed. that the loss of courage to experiment was detrimental to their
learning experience.
Student
I am a student in year 11. I study psychology at school. I believe that younger school children need
play in order to develop the skills they need to. As fair as it may be that children have a chance to play
at home, but with homework being assigned from as early as Kindergarten, play has become limited.
Also, due to the loss of safety and security, play is evidently also lost more so outside of school.
Children need play in school because they need a chance to interact with everyone, especially people
of their own age, to develop their friendship/people skills and communication skills.
My brother started Kindergarten this year, and his play time in comparison to when I was his age is
severely different. He spends a lot more time, inside, reading and writing, and only plays twice a day
with other people. Recently his play has been even further constricted as he "needs a chance to learn
more book knowledge". I strongly believe his play limitations is further leading to deterioration of his
social skills, especially because he had limited to begin with.
Children were made to learn by play, please let them do it.
Year 11 Student
Tim Gill is one of the UK’s leading thinkers and consultant on childhood.
Tim Gill
Dr Robin Harvey Developmental and Educational Psychologist
Dr Robin Harvey
Dr Elizabeth Green is a WA paediatrician who has a special interest in behavioural
disorders, developmental paediatrics and neonatology.
Dr Elizabeth Green
Dr John Wray is a WA paediatrician and who has a special interest in the care of children
with autism spectrum disorders.
Dr John Wray
Dr Trevor Parry is a developmental paediatrician who has dedicated more than 30 years
to improving the health and wellbeing of Western Australian children.
Dr Trevor Parry
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is one of Australia’s highest profile psychologists, author of 10
books, broadcaster and a specialist in parenting and children.
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg
Steve Biddulph (2017): is one of the world’s best known parent educators and an Australian psychologist for 25 years
The evidence for play, and for non-pressured environments for the under sixes is overwhelming. As is the evidence that intrusive formal instruction – and testing – harms both learning, and mental health. I strongly support the campaign in WA and worldwide to rescue early childhood from the bureaucrats and control freaks, and develop happy and rich play environments for all children. Nothing could reduce disadvantage, or promote positive mental health as much as standing firm against the misguided schoolification of early childhood. Kids need to play, they love to play, and they learn best through play.
“Play is the child’s work, especially in the early years. It is best when centred on the real rather than the virtual world. And more durable when shared with a caregiver” Trevor Parry
Steve Biddulph
Maggie Dent (2017): an Australian author, educator, and parenting & resilience
specialist with a particular interest in the early years
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically endorse the WA Play Strategy for Early Childhood and Care. I
am really worried about today’s children who are statistically fatter, sadder, sicker and less
capable physically, emotionally, cognitively and socially than previous generations.
Play is not only a child&’s right, it enables and facilitates children&’s development on all levels to
occur.
Play has been demonised and marginalised in early childhood as being of less value that
structured formalised learning. In 2013 I took my submission Stop Stealing Childhood in the Name
of Education to the Minister of Education in Canberra because I knew things were already
negatively impacting the children of WA more so than any other state in Australia.
With increasing rates of obesity, anxiety in young children, rapidly rising numbers of teenagers
with mental illness, self harming and the highest suicide rate for 15-24 year olds ever we must not
waste any more time and we need to address the need for play to return to its rightful place in the
lives of children especially those under 8.
Maggie Dent