International Day of Play 2025: A global call to let children be children |12 June 2025

International Day of Play 2025: A global call to let children be children

Compiled by Sunny Esparon

United Nations marked its second International Day of Play yesterday; a celebration of childhood that underscores play as a vital human right. Officially adopted by the General Assembly on March 25, 2024, it now enjoys global backing from over 140 countries who support the resolution recognising that “play is powerful”.

This year's theme, ‘Choose Play – Every Day’, is a rallying cry to parents, educators, governments and communities to make time, space and resources for play in children’s lives. Far from a luxury, play is essential to children's mental wellbeing, social skills, resilience and creativity. Indeed, recent research reveals a troubling picture: globally, children are 62% less likely to engage in play than their grandparents were, with more than 224 million facing significant obstacles such as child labour, school absenteeism and climate‑related crises.

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