Article 31 of the UN Convention

“That every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.

That member governments shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.”

Article 31 encompasses a range of concepts that carry different meanings. These are the child’s right to rest, leisure, play and recreational activities and to participate in cultural and artistic life. The unifying concept is ‘not working’. However, while each of these is important in children’s lives, “play” stands apart from them in a number of ways. Play is a mode of being rather than an activity and is neither time nor space bound. It is interwoven into children’s everyday lives.

The UNCRC Handbook (2007) describes play as possibly “the most interesting (of the group of concepts) in terms of childhood in that it includes activities of children which are not controlled by adults”. Free play is of particular interest to IPA because of its importance in children’s lives and because it is the component of article 31 least understood and appreciated.

Unstructured or ‘Free Play’- a definition
In spite of the complexity and diversity of play behaviour, there is general agreement by specialists in the field that play is controlled by children rather than adults, and that it is undertaken for its own sake and not for prescribed purposes. The term “free play” is often used to distinguish this from organized recreational and learning activities, which of course also have important roles in child development. However, the characteristics of free play – such as control, uncertainty, flexibility, novelty, non-productivity – are what produce a high degree of pleasure and, simultaneously, the incentive to continue to play. Recent neurological research indicates that this type of behaviour plays a significant role in the development of the brain’s structure and chemistry. Emerging research suggests that child-controlled play may in fact represent a vital evolved behaviour that is necessary for optimal physical and emotional functioning.

The Importance of Play – and of Understanding Play
While the original intention for the inclusion of article 31 is understood to have been rooted in concern for working children, the International Play Association (instrumental in the inclusion of the word ‘play’ in the UNCRC) has always held a much broader view; recognizing the full range of benefits of play for all children worldwide. Research has established that play contributes to brain development, creates flexibility, enhances creativity, and builds resilience to stress. The connection between play and children’s well-being has been made with some authority by numerous researchers. Ultimately the opposite of play is not work, it is no play. And no play can be devastating for children.

“In supporting children’s right to play, attention must be paid not simply to the external expressions of play, but to the conditions in which ‘playfulness’ thrives.” Importance of Play, Concept Paper.