Filmmaker documents youngsters’ city lives
The lives of toddlers in two contrasting cities on opposite sides of the world are chronicled in videos from the Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF), which works to improve disadvantaged children’s lives. Five short films highlight...Read more
So much more than just a skatepark
It’s the first ever skatepark built in Syria but, if you ask the kids, it might just be the most important skatepark in the world. After living through years of conflict, children in the Syrian city...Read more
Children who have afternoon breaks are fitter but need a supportive environment
Afternoon breaks were once a common feature of nearly all primary school timetables. But, as schools have sought to dedicate more time to teaching and learning, and limit poor behaviour, these short play times have...Read more
Providing Nairobi’s mothers with subsidised day care will benefit everyone
One of the major challenges that faces mothers who work is how to ensure their children are properly cared for while they are away. This is particularly true for women in low-income settings. For instance, in...Read more
Shared learning is aim of Bernard van Leer Foundation’s new early years studies
The Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF), which works to improve opportunities for disadvantaged children, has published the first in a series of case studies examining global early years initiatives. Three initial reports, which look at projects...Read more
Decline of public playgrounds ‘pushing children indoors’
Parents are increasingly concerned that a decline in outdoor playgrounds is pushing more children indoors to indulge in screen time, say play campaigners. A survey reveals that the vast majority of parents believe that playgrounds, which...Read more
Risk is an essential ingredient in children’s play
Play without risk is like a hotdog without mustard. It’s better than nothing but so much tastier when the two are together. Play without risk still has some value, but it quickly becomes rather boring....Read more
Difference between playgrounds and natural play spaces for school
There is not much a difference between playgrounds and play spaces. Rather one must develop an eye for precision in order to depict the differences between the two. A playground is a place especially designed...Read more
How play is changing our relationship with inclusion
Every person has some relationship to inclusion, and there are as many definitions of the concept as there are ways in which to provide it. Your organization may have extensive diversity and inclusion policies in...Read more
Forest schools: how climbing trees and making dens can help children develop resilience
Despite all the research that tells parents how good it is for their children to spend time playing outside, they are spending more time indoors than ever before. It seems that concerns about the dangers...Read more
Let them play! Kids need freedom from play restrictions to develop
You may have heard of play. It’s that thing children do – the diverse range of unstructured, spontaneous activities and behaviours. Children play in many ways, including by exploring movements, constructing with equipment, creating games,...Read more
An alternative to the traditional playground in Chicago
Jessica Fong experienced her lightbulb moment one day when she was taking her Spry Elementary School preschool students to play at a nature park near the Little Village school. The park, which is called Jardincito,...Read more
Shaped by play and inclusive play
Play has an invaluable role in encouraging child development. But play isn’t just one thing. It’s an invitation to explore, learn and grow. Play opens up a world of possibilities. Play—on a playground, in a soccer...Read more
From playground risks to college admissions: Failure helps build kids’ resilience
With recent news of the college cheating scandal in which parents allegedly paid for their children to gain entrance to the most prestigious post-secondary institutions in the United States, increased attention has been placed on...Read more