Reflection on 'Right to Play' for Children

This essay discusses the significance of the right to play for children, the need for early childhood education to protect this right, and how it is respected in early childhood settings.

Running head: REFLECTION ON ‘RIGHT TO PLAY’ FOR CHILDREN
REFLECTION ON ‘RIGHT TO PLAY’ FOR CHILDREN
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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REFLECTION ON ‘RIGHT TO PLAY’ FOR CHILDREN
Play is an engaging activity to enjoy for recreational purpose. As per the Article 31 of
UNCRC, every child is privileged to have the right to play, repose and rejoice respite, to
indulge themselves into some recreational activities and to partake freely in cultural works
and activities (www.unicef.org.uk, 2019). The government shall admire and promote the
‘right to play’ behaviour and should also stay active towards extra-curricular activities and
shall endure provisions of providing opportunities for recreational, cultural and leisure
activities. This essay will discuss about the significance of Right to play and why there is a
need for EC’s to protect right to play. It will also state that how right to play for children is
respected in early childhood setting. The aim of the essay is to reflect the practices and
policies of early childhood with respect to the ‘right to play’.
The significance of Article 31 of Right to play is to protect distinctive nature of
childhood by providing recreational activities which are vital for the well-being of children.
Besides the pleasure, it strengthens the physical and cognitive aspects of children. Article 31
ensures involvement of cultural and creative life which creates a sense of competitiveness
among the children by giving them a platform to perform and stay ahead (Brooker &
Woodhead, 2013). Children participating in cultural activities are learning from various
things and enhancing knowledge. Next, it ensures the importance of rest in children’s life
which keeps their lives balanced throughout the day. It repairs the mental health resulting in
better performance. It is essential for Early Childhood to protect the right to play because
Children are the base of tomorrow’s generation. In order to maintain proper health of the
children, play is an essential inclusion with other routine tasks. It provides opportunities to
socialize with people around and also acts as a platform for creativity. Protection of right to
play is directly encouraging play to be a part of education systems. Play is motivation to
children to maintain attendance in schools. Right to play is very important to protect as it
ensures healthy welfare in terms of families and social communities (Andersen & Dolva,

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2015). To maintain physical, cognitive and emotional stabilities of a child. It is thus
important to protect as it promotes healthy leisure options of play and learn besides
education.
The children’s right to play as per UNCRC is respected in the early childhood setting
as it is highly effective on the updated policies along with the practices in early involvement
and inclusion of children with personal disabilities and slow developmental process(Brooker
& Woodhead, 2013). Previously, the stress for early childhood practices was seldom based on
therapies and other interventions to meet goals for children set by professional members.
Achieving these kind of goals seldom needs removing a child with special requirements from
their group of peers whereas the child itself practised an identified skill to reach that goal.
The ways Children’s right to play can be improved to be respected by the early childhood as
per article 31 rights (www.unicef.org.uk, 2019). The challenges are different for respective
regions, which include, shortage of identification of the significance of play and recreation,
harmful environments, use of public spaces are restricted to children, risk and safety both
needs to be balanced, negligible reach to nature, stress for educational goal achieving, Less
attention of article 31 in developmental and creative programmes, Less speculation in
creating recreational opportunities for children, Growth in technological resource, Marketing
and creating awareness of play.
The three examples of right to play in childcare environment elaborately describes its
significance in the children’s life, firstly, children from institutions like, remand homes,
hospitals, schools, refugee camps have negligible opportunities to play and partake in
recreational activities to learn and grow with diversified culture. Secondly, there are children
who belong from minority categories or indigenous communities are not exposed to perform
cultural activities from their community (Andersen & Dolva, 2015). Thirdly, children with
disabilities cannot enjoy the privilege of play, going to schools and to take part in cultural

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forms to enhance their recreational background. The early childhood workers or teachers
ensures the overall support to these children to cope up with their respective limitations and
stay connected with the play to ensure a healthy life.
The practices and policies of the Right to play is, Proposing Amendments to the
Convention. Next is, to protect the vulnerable group of children in their early childhood.
Another important policy of the Right to play is to implement this right to various regions to
create awareness and to encourage child care, education and recreational activities for the
child development purpose. To encourage young children’s participation in recreational
activities and competitions in sports. To protect the Child’s right from violation (Ozanne &
Ozanne, 2011). To safeguard the rights of children to go for educational institutions. To
promote and develop child’s interest in learning behaviour, health care and social well-being.
According the ACECQA’s guide to quality standards, there are 7 quality areas
revolving around the children and safeguarding them in various ways. Quality area deals
majorly with the child educational practice, where it looks after the educational development
of the children. It takes care of every children getting educated and inclined towards learning
which is a crucial part in their life (Clements, R & Fiorentino, 2004). Quality Area signifies
health and safety of the children which is the most important part for their survival. It works
for children’s wellbeing by providing them the right to quality health concerns and an overall
pleasant environment to grow with learning. The third quality promoting physical
environment by allowing them to have safe and secure surroundings like proper maintain of
hygiene and cleanliness to avoid any endemic and epidemic diseases (Ozanne, L & Ozanne,
2011). Thus, creating healthy atmosphere to encourage good health and wellbeing of the
children. Quality area fourth is the facility management for children helps in accommodating
students from various corners and managed by the staffs who can create the awareness of
learning and developing themselves in future (www.unicef.org.uk, 2019). Quality area fifth

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REFLECTION ON ‘RIGHT TO PLAY’ FOR CHILDREN
connection with children created by the staffs and the society is very strong and responsive as
their relationship is totally directed towards security and belongings of the children. The sixth
quality relationships between communities and families are productive because collaboration
with community results in good communication and similarly with the family results in good
support of education (Slade, 1995). The seventh quality area is effective leadership and
governing attitude help in developing the cultural framework of learning for children. An
effective leader can give valuable insights to guide children for their betterment in life.
The inputs of the Early Years Learning Framework has been related to Right to Play
guidelines, like, describing the phase of learning, principles, policies and results that supports
and engulfs young children's development since birth to the age of five years, till their
admission to schools (Brooker & Woodhead, 2013). The structure is the main element of
National Quality Framework for early education and care of children. These insights of early
childhood sectors and academics developed the EYLF by the Australian and State territory
governments (Lester, 2013). This structure provides vision statement as, all children are
welcome to get the glory of success in life through learning. It has been so well framed so as
to develop strategies for the early childhood services.
Lastly, to conclude in a child’s life, play is inevitable. From a teacher’s opinion I
should remember like every other routine task play has its own significance because it
enlivens the world of a child. Throughout the essay it has been discussed the importance of
Right to Play in Australia along with the examples based on the arguments that I shared. The
idea behind this essay is quite clear to promote the early childhood education with respect to
the UNCRC guidelines of Right to play. The essay is quite justified with the central idea and
however, came to this conclusion that, Right to play is inevitably an essential part in the early
childhood and should be encouraged everywhere and anywhere possible.

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Reference
Andersen, C. S., & Dolva, A. S. (2015). Children's perspective on their right to participate in
decision-making according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
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Brooker, L., & Woodhead, M. (2013). The right to play (Vol. 9). The Open University with
the support of Bernard van Leer Foundation.
Clements, R. L., & Fiorentino, L. (Eds.). (2004). The child's right to play: A global approach.
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Davey, C., & Lundy, L. (2011). Towards greater recognition of the right to play: An analysis
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Harcourt, D., & Hägglund, S. (2013). Turning the UNCRC upside down: A bottom-up
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Lester, S. (2013). Rethinking Children’s Participation in Democratic Processes: A right to
play. Sociological Studies of Children and Youth, 16, 21-43.
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Little, H., Sandseter, E. B. H., & Wyver, S. (2012). Early childhood teachers' beliefs about
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Ozanne, L. K., & Ozanne, J. L. (2011). A child's right to play: the social construction of civic
virtues in toy libraries. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 30(2), 264-278.
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www.unicef.org.uk. (2019). UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) - Unicef
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