The Importance of Play
The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has expressed a deep concern that in situations of conflict or disaster children’s right to play is often given lower priority than the provision of food, shelter and medicines. This is despite the fact that play is known to be crucial to children’s wellbeing, development, health and survival in these circumstances. The CRC notes that in these crisis situations, playing: • has a significant therapeutic and rehabilitative role in helping children recover a sense of normality and joy after their experience of loss, dislocation and trauma • helps refugee children and children who have experienced bereavement, violence, abuse or exploitation, to overcome emotional pain and regain control over their lives • can restore a sense of identity, help them make meaning of what has happened to them, and enable them to experience fun and enjoyment • offers children an opportunity to engage in a shared experience, to re-build a sense of personal value and selfworth, to explore their own creativity and to achieve a sense of connectedness and belonging. (Committee on the Rights of the Child, 2013: 17)
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I PA W O R L D . O R G
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the role of play in alleviating the harmful effects ACEs are stressful experiences occurring during childhood that directly harm a child (such as physical abuse or emotional trauma) or affect the environment in which they live (such as growing up among violence or experiencing a natural disaster). It is widely agreed that early experiences influence how children learn, cope with stress, form friendships and adult relationships, and how they view themselves and their world. Toxic stress is caused when there are prolonged and frequent events that are out of the child’s control. These can have harmful effects on the development of children’s brains as well as disrupting organ development and weakening the defence system against diseases. The more ACEs a child experiences, the greater the chance of health and other social problems later in life. Even under persistent stressful conditions however, the negative consequences of toxic stress can be alleviated to varying degrees through access to play.
