Reports – Play Matters Collective

Explore our reports, publications and key events that highlight the importance of play and our ongoing work across Western Australia

Report & Publications

Access our published reports and resources that showcase the collective’s work, insights and contributions towards championing the importance of play.

14 September 2024

2024 Play Summit

Discovering Children's Identity

The 2024 Play Summit brought together educators, researchers, policymakers and community members to explore the importance of play in shaping children’s identity and wellbeing.

11 June 2025

2025 International Day of Play

Play Makes a Better World

Join the conversation and explore how play creates stronger, healthier and more connected communities for children and young people across Western Australia.

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Play is a big deal

Play is critical for our wellbeing and lays a strong foundation for healthy growth across all the development domains including physical, social, emotional, creative, language, cognitive and cultural.

Opportunities for child-initiated, self-directed, play are important throughout childhood and adolescence.

Play is a fundamental human right, enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and we owe it to all children and young people to make it a priority in every aspect of their lives.

play matters.

Play Matters to everyone: younger and older, alone and with others, recreational and professional, active and less active.

On Saturday 14 September 2024, the Play Matters Collective gathered at The Boulevard Centre in Floreat to share, explore, learn and connect with play advocates from across the state.

Held in an Open Space format, people from departments, organisations, schools and services shared their research, programmes, design, activities and practices—showcasing that Play Matters.

The highlight of the day? Hearing from our Key Note Speakers: a panel of teenagers, sharing their perspectives on play.

The day concluded with a networking session, a final guest speaker, and closing remarks from the Children’s Commissioner.

2024 Steering Committee Members at the Play Summit.
From L-R: Marie Martin, Amy Cox, Sandra Hesterman, Marcelle Saratsis, Daniel Burton, Jonny Neen, Jayne Kaiko