Right to Play: Analyzing the Importance of Play in Childhood

This essay delves into the significance of the right to play, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically Article 31. It examines the importance of play for healthy child development and growth. The author shares personal experiences from their primary school years, highlighting the mandatory recess and its impact. The essay explores the balance between encouraging play and respecting children's choices, advocating for schools to foster play rather than enforce it. The essay also references key literature, including works by Alderson (2008) and Rinaldi (2013), to support its arguments about the role of play in childhood. The essay provides a thoughtful analysis of the importance of play in child development and wellbeing.

Running head: RIGHT TO PLAY
RIGHT TO PLAY
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Authors Note:

2RIGHT TO PLAY
The UN General Assembly on the 20th November 1987 adopted the United Nations
Convention of the Rights of a Child, which Government of UK ratified in the year 1991.
Among a number of articles about the various responsibilities of the governments towards the
children of the world, Article 31 is about a Child’s Right to play. For a healthy growth and
development of a child, the right to free play is necessary.
When I was in Primary School, it was absolutely mandatory for all the children to use
the recess to go out and play and no one was allowed to stay inside the class. This step was
taken by the school to ensure that every child could enjoy their right to play with the peers.
Most of us would wait eagerly for the recess so that we could have a blast at the play ground
with our friends. This according to me was a good practice to nudge children to play.
However, when we use the term “Right”, it must be the child’s decision, how they want to
play and making it mandatory for each child to go out, takes away the freedom of their own
choice. Therefore, to improve this practice, schools should encourage the children to go out
and play instead of making it a mandatory rule to follow.

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Bibliography
Alderson, P., 2008. Young Children's Rights: Exploring Beliefs. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Rinaldi, C., 2013. Re-imagining childhood: The inspiration of Reggio Emilia education
principles in South Australia. Government of South Australia.