The Power of Sports and Play
Physical activity is critically important for children's health and well-being. A look at some of the ways UNICEF protects children's right to play — helping them reap the benefits — around the world.
June 11: International Day of Play
It’s hard to imagine childhood without play.
When kids play, they learn how to explore, invent, create and collaborate — invaluable skills that help them navigate the world, make friends and thrive, starting from a very young age. These skills are just as critical as kids get older, in school and on the playing field, and into adulthood.
Related: Harnessing the Power of Play with Building Blocks
From strengthening bodies and developing brains to helping children learn and deal with adversity: the many benefits of play
Pediatricians and parenting experts agree that sports and physical activity strengthen kids' bodies and developing brains, helping them learn and stay focused. Play can improve children's abilities to plan, organize, get along with others and regulate emotions; it can help with language, math and social skills.
And when times are tough, active play also helps children deal with adversity. The pleasure and connections children tap into when playing together or with adults are a powerful antidote to the stress that can build up in a child who has endured trauma.
Many barriers to play for children in humanitarian settings
While overscheduling often cuts into children's playtime in high-income countries like the United States, the barriers in many other parts of the world are often much more dangerous and difficult to address.
There are children who must spend hours every day fetching safe water for their families. For children caught in conflict, a safe place to have fun and run free is a dream.
And when families can’t afford healthy, nutritious food, their children may have little energy to play. Children living under such duress desperately need the relief that playtime offers. Without it, they can suffer long-term effects.
To protect vulnerable children's right to play — and reap the many benefits — UNICEF promotes physical activity and sports to ensure the health and well-being of children everywhere.
Integral to UNICEF's global mission for children: fulfilling every child's right to play
UNICEF is committed to working with partners worldwide to create a more equitable world where every child’s right to play is respected, protected and fulfilled. As part of this commitment, UNICEF advocates to governments, businesses and other stakeholders to:
- scale up services — including parenting programs — that promote play
- enable and enhance young children's access to pre-school and and other early learning environments
- increase and ensure access to safe, inclusive and well-maintained play areas for every child
Here are some examples of how UNICEF is supporting and promoting children's right to play around the world:
Cricket for gender equality in India
Bharti, 18, gets in some early morning batting practice with her cricket team. Launched as part of a UNICEF-supported campaign to promote sports and physical fitness among girls, Bharti's team empowers girls from tribal communities in India, bolstering their defenses against sexual harassment and gender and caste discrimination, while encouraging them to exercise their rights to free expression and dream big.
Opportunities to learn and play in Djibouti
In Djibouti, migrant children, children with special needs, children who live in nomadic communities and girls are routinely denied social services and frequently don't make it to school. But at the UNICEF-supported LEC schools in Djibouti city's Boulaos neighborhood — LEC is short for Lire, Écrire, Compter (Read, Write, Count in French) — all children are given opportunities to take classes and play sports.
Promoting school while playing soccer in Mali
As a Back-to-School Child Ambassador in Mali, 11-year-old Alou helps to raise awareness among parents and kids about the importance of education while playing soccer with his classmates every chance he gets.
"In a dugout, on a motorbike, on foot or through a discussion on the radio, I will do everything to get the message out to parents to send their children to school," he says.
Emotional support through sport in Uganda
Girls from South Sudan play volleyball at a UNICEF child-friendly space in Uganda's Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, home to tens of thousands of children who fled with their families to escape violence and hardship. UNICEF-supported services at the settlement help provide the emotional support children need to heal from the trauma of displacement.
“When I play with my friends, I forget most of the bad things that have happened,” says one 15-year-old refugee.
Violence prevention through child-friendly spaces in Venezuela
UNICEF Venezuela staff play with children at a UNICEF child-friendly space, a safe and supportive environment where children and adolescents can get a reprieve from the struggles of their daily lives. UNICEF works with civil society partners to implement strategies based on sports and recreation for the prevention of violence and access to quality education.
Yoga in youth counseling in Kenya
A young girl smiles in Upward-Facing Dog pose, or Urdhva Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit, during a support session for children coping with trauma in Malindi, Kenya. Yoga cope with chronic stress. UNICEF has used yoga to complement counseling therapy.
Recreation for displaced children in Syria
In Syria, Bayan, 11, who has a disabled arm, learned how to play table tennis at a UNICEF-supported shelter for families displaced during the country's civil war. With cash assistance from UNICEF, the family was able to afford lessons.
The activity has been a tremendous help. “She used to be very shy and would keep to herself,” said Bayan’s mother, Amina. “Now she’s more confident, and she spends her days practicing with other children."
Inclusive activities for children with disabilities in Belarus
In Minsk, Belarus, 3-year-old Agatha has an aquatherapy session with her rehabilitation swim teacher at a pool with facilities for children with disabilities. Agatha has cerebral palsy, but thanks to UNICEF and inclusion programs for children with special needs, she gets lots of support and equal opportunities to play.
Agatha's mom takes her daughter to an early childhood development center, where she participates in fun activities that are foundational for healthy growth. UNICEF has supported government efforts to establish similar facilities in other municipalities to reach more kids like Agatha.
HOW TO HELP
There are many ways to make a difference
War, famine, poverty, natural disasters — threats to the world's children keep coming. But UNICEF won't stop working to keep children healthy and safe.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories — more places than any other children's organization. UNICEF has the world's largest humanitarian warehouse and, when disaster strikes, can get supplies almost anywhere within 72 hours. Constantly innovating, always advocating for a better world for children, UNICEF works to ensure that every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Would you like to help give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential? There are many ways to get involved.
