Bringing the power of play to the doorstep of power!

On 1 June, International Parents' Day provided a timely reminder that play is fundamental to childhood, family life and strong communities.

That is why Play England was honoured to support the International Parents' Day reception at No.10, helping to transform the garden into a playful space where children, parents and carers could spend time together and simply enjoy being together.

At the heart of our 10-year strategy - It All Starts with Play! is a clear mission: to make play a normal, accepted and visible part of everyday life again. Parents and carers are central to that mission, because play starts in everyday moments, in families, homes, streets, parks and communities.

Play, parenting and everyday life

International Parents' Day was the perfect opportunity to celebrate the role parents and carers play in children's lives.

Play is one of the simplest and most powerful ways families connect. It helps children make friends, build confidence, develop resilience and experience the joy of childhood. It also helps create stronger families and stronger communities.

This is why our strategy seeks not simply to create more playgrounds, but to restore a play-based childhood for all children in England by 2035.

Bringing play into the conversation

Over the last 18 months, Play England has worked with partners across Parliament, Government and civil society to put play back on the national agenda.

The reception provided an opportunity to speak directly with Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP, Minister at MHCLG, Nesil Caliskan MP, and Lady Starmer about Play England's ambitions, the growing momentum behind the need for a new National Play Strategy for England, and how the £18 million investment in children's playgrounds can help create the foundations for a renewed National Play Strategy for England.

We are particularly grateful to Tom Hayes MP, Chair of the APPG on Play, whose leadership and commitment continue to ensure that play is once again being taken seriously in Parliament and across Government.

A collaborative effort

The event itself demonstrated what can be achieved when organisations come together around a shared purpose.

We are enormously grateful to Playscheme and Wicksteed, whose creativity, expertise and generosity helped bring the space to life. Together with Amber Ogunsanya-Williams, whose playwork helped create a welcoming and playful atmosphere throughout the event, these voluntary contributions reflected a shared commitment to children and families.

Importantly, the play equipment will have a life beyond the event. The bespoke wooden installation created by Playscheme will be donated to a local primary school. Wicksteed also made inclusive ramped play features available from its existing production and project work. Together, these voluntary contributions mean the legacy of the event will be measured not by a single afternoon, but by the opportunities for play created for children in the years ahead.

More than an event

For Play England, this was about much more than a reception. It was about bringing the power of play to the doorstep of power. It was about demonstrating the importance of parents and carers in children's lives. It was about showing what can be achieved through collaboration. And it was about continuing to shape the national conversation around play, so that every child has the time, space, opportunity and freedom to play.

There is still much to do. But the momentum is growing. And that matters, because when we invest in play, we invest in children, families and communities.

#ItAllStartsWithPlay!