the rigid way the activities were to be implemented generated conflict between the parent and their child.

the activities often ignored the childrenвЂ™s abilities, strengths and interests.

children did not always enjoy the activities.

the activities didnвЂ™t provide the children with choices.

children didnвЂ™t feel they were in control of the activity.

The parents were clear about why highly adult-directed and structured activities failed to meet their childrenвЂ™s right to learn through play-based experiences: Meeting these goals often required removing a child with special needs from a group and their peers while the child practised a specific skill to achieve a goal.ДЄ United Kingdom study involving parents of children with Down syndrome identified that non play-based interventions not only didnвЂ™t achieve good outcomes for their children, but they also left them with a strong sense of guilt and failure (Rix, Paige-Smith & Jones, 2008). Previously, the focus for early intervention practices was often on therapeutic interventions to meet goals for children set by professionals. The UNCRCвЂ™s protection and promotion of childrenвЂ™s right to play has influenced current policies and practices in early intervention and inclusion for children with disabilities and developmental delay. It is endemic to their work with young children and families (Nwokah, Hui-Chin & Gulker, 2013, p. We should not trivialize the use of play and play materials by early intervention specialists. A space or environment for collective adventures is a place where children and adults learn and have fun together where the time allocation for play is not always ruled by fixed routines or adult agendas and where there is a balance between child-initiated and adult-led learning that has both parties learning in new ways and learning new things together. The term вЂcollective adventureвЂ™ could be interpreted in a less serious way than was intended. They ask questions such as: вЂIs this a space for children as citizens where they have some control and can take risks, think, wonder, be amazed, have fun and learn with other children and with adults?вЂ™ A place, as Dahlberg calls it, of вЂcollective adventureвЂ™ (as cited in Moss & Petrie, 2002, p.

less time to play and explore outdoors because of educators or parents being worried about safety.ДЄdults who are committed to childrenвЂ™s right to play think seriously about these issues.

a focus on commercial toys and products that may not provide open-ended play opportunities.

less time to play because of a focus on getting ready for вЂtestsвЂ™.

less time for children to play because of a focus on a вЂpush downвЂ™ curriculum.

Article 31 provides strong support for using play-based approaches to learning in education and care settings.Д¬hildrenвЂ™s right to play and leisure time is sometimes threatened by:

The same Article also recognises their right to be active participants in the cultural and artistic life of their community.

This blog explores childrenвЂ™s rights and how they are identified in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.Д¬hildrenвЂ™s rights to rest, leisure, recreation and play appropriate to their age, are recognised under Article 31 in the UNCRC (1989). вЂNo-one is born a good citizenвЂ™ said Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General.

Index of drake childs play