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Play,along with the basic needs of nutrition, health, shelter, and education, is vital for the development of the potential of all children
If You Believe That:
Play, along with the basic needs of nutrition, health, shelter, and education, is vital for the development of the potential of all children,
Family participation needs to be strengthened by support systems such as a play leadership, and
Environments and programs to meet children's real needs should be created;
If You Are Concerned That:
Society is indifferent to the importance of play,
Schools are indifferent to the importance of play,
Children are increasingly living with inadequate provision for survival and development,
Children are increasingly living in inappropriate housing settings with less spaces to play,
Children are neglected in environmental planning,
Cultural traditions are deteriorating and that children are increasingly exploited commercially, Children are constantly exposed to war, violence, and destruction, and
"Winning at all costs" dominates children's sports and play,
Then please consider becoming a member or IPA/USA and become a part of an international, interdisciplinary organization that supports and works for the Child's Right To Play (Contact our Membership Chair, Tom Reed at: University of South Carolina, School of Education, 800 University Way, Spartanburg, SC 29303. 864-503-5579).
II. What is a PlayDay?
A PlayDay is fun! It is a day designed to draw attention to a range and diversity of play activities. A PlayDay will encompass everything from massive park events for thousands of children and adults to small picnics for little ones. It is an opportunity for children, schools, day cares, individuals, families, or communities to share in physical and mental challenges without the pressure of winning or losing "the game." The point of a PlayDay is to play for the sake of playing, to challenge each individual, and to share in the joy of discovery and interaction.
Adults and many children have had the simple pleasures of play taken away by competitive and team sports.
A PlayDay will offer a chance to go back to the times when one played just to play. A PlayDay provides the opportunities to exercise the mind as well as the body. The games and activities challenge individuals to use their imagination to create new ways to play each game. Even though some games and activities have rules, the rules are often modified or altered for the benefit of each group that is playing. A PlayDay offers games and activities for toddlers to grandparents, and all ages in between. Some games can be played by all ages, while others should only be played by specific age groups. Play is the important element of the PlayDay. It requires little more than an imagination, and can continue until everyone is too tired to move. Every play event is successful in its own way.
PlayDays can take on many dimensions depending on the other events that are scheduled. If the day is planned totally around the PlayDay a wide variety of activities can be offered for different size groups. If the PlayDay is part of a larger event such as a Kidfest, Art Fair, Octoberfest, Springfest, or other community event, the games and activities will vary with the flow of the crowd and the specific mix of people. It is important to keep this factor in mind when planning the games and activities and the number of available play leaders, volunteers, or referees that will be needed.
III. Who Is Involved?
Kids, Adults, Parents, Grandparents
Schools, Caregivers, Teachers
PTA's (National or Local)
Public Officials
Corporation, Businesses
Media, Newspapers, Magazines, TV, Radio
Scouts, Community Organizations
Universities, Colleges, Students, Faculty
Recreation Centers
Design Agencies
How Are They Involved?
Kids, Adults, Parents, Grandparents: can help plan, participate and/or supervise the games and tournaments.
Schools, Caregivers, Teachers: schools can do their part by offering a place for the PlayDay to be held. In addition, they can provide a place to hold workshops for the planning committees. Caregivers and teachers can also assist by planning and/or supervising events.
PTA's (National or Local): may lend a hand by sponsoring a playground/schoolyard safety evaluation event and/or playground building seminars/workshops. They may also want to aid in running some of the PlayDay events.
Public Officials: can be on hand at the PlayDay to present awards for excellence in play or design, etc. They can also present Presidential, Mayoral, and/or Gubernatorial Proclamations and/or Declarations, etc.
Corporations, Businesses: can donate equipment, money, staff, food, etc.
Media (Newspapers, Magazines, Television, Radio): is an important part of the PlayDay. Newspapers and magazines can run articles and adds before and after the PlayDay. Television and radio programs can air reports on the PlayDay event before, during and after the event.
Scouts, Community Organizations: can help plan and/or supervise the PlayDay event. They might also want to take this opportunity to run contests/benefits such as ball bouncing, hula hoops, etc. for their organization during the PlayDay.
Universities, Colleges, Students, Faculty: can sponsor a conference about play for the community. In addition, universities and colleges may want to volunteer their campus' for the PlayDay event. Students and faculty can also assist by planning and/or supervising events.
Recreation Centers: could donate their facilities for PlayDay activities.
Design Agencies: may possibly support the PlayDay by creating bumper stickers to give out during the event or to screen tee-shirts for the Play Leaders/volunteers. They could also print and post fliers announcing the event around town.
IV. General Considerations
1. Site
The site can be indoors and/or outside.
The site will determine the appropriateness of certain games due to the surface material. Games played on grass can be much more physical and challenging than games played on asphalt or on a gymnasium floor. At the same time, games played indoors can be oriented toward bouncing and skill activities. In any case, it is important that the games are appropriate for the flooring surface(s) available.
An outdoor site should have protection from the sun (i.e. a canopy) and in case of inclement weather, the elements.
If at all possible, an indoor site should have some soft surface for little people or to accommodate physical games played by others (i.e. a gymnastics mat).
2. Age Groups
It is best to play games with age groups divided into "little people," "middle people," and "big people".
"Little People," are toddlers up to age five or six.
"Middle People," are from six to twelve years.
"Big People," are thirteen to adult.
The divisions are more for motor and physical development than anything else. It is very easy for a teenage boy or girl to run down a five year old!
The age group divisions are also for different types of play. Toddlers are more interested in solo play and one on one play, whereas teens and adults like active team type games.
3. Play Leaders
Play Leaders are very important for a successful PlayDay. They can be teachers, administrators, childcare workers, parents, or community volunteers. They are there to promote safety and create free flowing games throughout the day. The Play Leader can change games or activities to make them simple or more challenging and fun, by inserting his or her imagination into the game when they see fit (i.e., add a new game or change the current game to alleviate lulls in the play due to the abilities and attitudes of the players), or they can allow the players to change the game).
The Play Leaders supervise activities and make creative suggestions for greater participation. Most of the time the players will self-referee, but occasionally a game will need a ruling. Since most of the games do not have winners or losers, the ruling can have a twist, or the Play Leader can allow the teams to decide by a vote. In some cases, the activity can just be started over.
The Play Leaders also make sure that overly physical players do not overdo it. Older children and many adults do not know when they are playing beyond the ability of the rest of the players. A subtle hint by the Play Leader can make the game more fun for the other players and ensure that nobody gets hurt.
Once in a while a player will not cooperate or plays to hurt someone. Unfortunately, the only choice for the Play Leader is to warn the player and then ask that player to stop playing until the next game. This choice is not fun for anyone, but safety and enjoyment of the rest of the players is much more important.
4. Games
The type of games played must be determined for each play site and play group.
Indoor games will differ from outdoor games.
Hard surface games will differ from soft surface games.
"Little people" games will differ from "big people" games.
If it is impossible to determine the site characteristics or the specific age groups, then a wide variety of games must be planned.
Remember, it is better to eliminate a game rather than have an injured player.
If the players do not understand a game or do not seem to enjoy the rules, change the rules or play another game. The nice thing about a PlayDay is that the games and activities are not set in stone.
When organizing the game schedule, plan to alternate between active and passive games. This is important for a number of reasons:
It will give both players and Play Leaders an opportunity to rest,
If the PlayDay is combined with another event (i.e., Kidfest, Octoberfest, or other community event), a mix of new players will result. So instead of trying to place the new players into an existing game, just start a new game (unless the old game is almost over. In the case, tell the new players to wait, or come back when you anticipate the game to be over).
Some games are much more popular and attract large crowds of players than others. If there are too many players in an active game for the Play Leaders to manage, alter the rules or end the game to prevent someone from get hurt.
Possible games/activities:
LITTLE PEOPLE
jump roping
parachute games
balloon toss
sidewalk chalk drawings
face painting
pretend play (i.e. house)
drawing/finger painting, etc.
MIDDLE PEOPLE
parachute gamestug of war
face painting
cooperative games
jewelry making
sand art
BIG PEOPLE
tug of war
tag games
face painting
cooperative games
jewelry making
sand art
Although PlayDays can include many activities (e.g. adventure play activities, face painting, arts and crafts, other sports events, food, etc.), the focus of the PlayDay is on noncompetitive games and activities.
Cooperative game resources can be found in the resource section of this document.
5. Equipment
The equipment for a PlayDay should be as simple and inexpensive as possible. The message to participants is that it is not necessary to purchase specific and costly equipment to play. An imaginative mind is the most valuable piece of equipment on the field.
Any equipment used should be easily replaceable in the event of breakage or loss. If possible, it should be recycled from other uses.
Some equipment that can be used:
GAME EQUIPMENT
parachute games
parachutes, foam/tennis balls
tug of war
long rope
jump roping
different length jump ropes
side walk chalk drawings
different colored chalk
face painting
paint, brushes, water
pretend play
pallets, pots, pans, clothes, etc
drawing/finger painting
paper, safety scissors, glue, finger paints, water, pencils, erasures, markers, crayons, smocks
jewelry making
depends on jewelry being made (earrings, bracelets, rings, necklaces, key chains, picture frames, etc.)
sand art different colored sand, shallow containers
general paper, glue and/or bottles, necklace bottles, etc. duct tape, knife, cardboard boxes, sunscreen, first aid kit, water cooler, hand cart, long rope
Resources for Cooperative Games
Fluegelman, A. (1976). The new games book. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
Fluegelman, A. (1981). More new games. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
Glover, D., and Midura, D. (1992). Team building through physical challenges. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Midura, D., and Glover, D. (1995). More team building challenges. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Grineski, S. (1996). Cooperative learning in physical education. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Orlick, T. (1978). The cooperative sports and games book. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.
Rohnke, K. (1984). Silver Bullets. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Rohnke, K. (1989). Cowstails and Cobras II. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Rohnke, K., and Butler, S. (1995). Quicksilver. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Additional Resources
Frost, J. (1992). Play and Playscapes. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers Inc.
Miller, K. (1989). The outside play and learning book. Mt. Rainer, MD: Gryphon House, Inc.
Nelson, E. (1985). Singing and dancing games for the very young. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
Rockwell, R., E. Sherwood and Williams, R. (1983). Hug a tree and other things to do outdoors with young children. Mt.
Rainer, MD: Gryphon House, Inc.
Rogers, F. and Head, B. (1975). Mister Rogers' playbook: Insights and activities for parents and children. New York, NY:
Berkley Publishing Corporation.
Singer, D. and Singer, J. (1985). Make believe games and activities to foster imaginative play in young children. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company.
Frank Forencich
Go Animal
http://www.goanimal.com
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Alternative Schooling 
