Play is not a privilege, but a right and protection for children

A silhouette of children playing in the evening at Sindo beach along the shore of Lake Victoria on June 05, 2024. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Today is the International Day of Play. For millions of children, play isn’t a given.

Play is often treated as an afterthought, something they are allowed to engage in after school work and chores. If we are truly serious about protecting children, we must be serious about protecting their right to play.

Through a recent project, Time to Play by Terre des hommes Netherlands, 60 children aged 5 to 17 used art to show us something adults frequently overlook: play isn't just fun, it's a right and protection. When we ignore play, we overlook one of the most powerful tools we have to protect, empower and heal children.

A 2024 research report conducted by Terre des Hommes Netherlands reveals that even though 96 per cent of the children reported having "time to play", they also revealed significant barriers that made play unsafe or impossible.

Insecurity, violence, and fear of kidnapping kept many indoors. Girls, in particular, carried a heavy load of domestic chores and childcare. Poverty pushed some into child labour, drug trafficking or begging. Gender norms restricted girls' movement and freedom more than boys. In some areas, the complete absence of child-friendly public spaces left children with nowhere to play.

As one child shared, "My parents lock me in the house and go to the market. I don’t get to play like other children." Another added, “They make children sell marijuana, and they don’t even get paid. There’s no time to play.” These are not isolated incidents; they are symptoms of a systemic failure.

When children can't play, they are not just losing moments of joy but also their rights. They are instead being pushed into exploitative and dangerous situations: working in quarries, scavenging for scrap metal, experiencing sexual exploitation, or being drawn into criminal networks.

These stories highlight the dual tragedy: even when children do get time to play, that time may coexist with exploitation. A child may play with friends in the morning and be forced to run errands for drug traffickers in the afternoon. This complex reality underscores why treating play as optional is harmful.

Adults often overlook play because it does not appear to be learning or protection, but it is both.

The ironic truth? Play is one of our most effective tools for child protection. It supports their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. It teaches them how to solve problems, connect with others, manage emotions, and build resilience. It allows them to grow stronger—mentally and physically—so they can navigate the challenges around them.

Every child deserves the right to play. A right that can be created through deliberate and structured interventions like football clubs, art hubs, and safe community spaces. These activities restore dignity, rebuild confidence, and actively reduce exploitation risks. But we cannot do this alone. We need the government to embed play into child protection and education policies and invest in safe public spaces.

The private sector can fund local play initiatives and support safe zones for children. Civil society must elevate play as a right, not a reward, and amplify children’s voices. And critically, caregivers and communities must shift their mindset, seeing play not as a distraction but as a vital form of protection and child development.

If we truly want to protect children, we must also protect their freedom to simply be children. That means honouring their right to joy, rest, imagination, and play.

As one child poignantly shared, "Play makes me happy. I feel strong when I play with my friends." It’s time to make sure that every child, everywhere, has the space and freedom to play safely and without fear.

As we mark the International Day of Play, the message is clear: Choose Play – Every Day. Not once a year, not only on weekends, not for a few minutes and not just for some children. Every child, everywhere, deserves the time, space, and freedom to play safely and without fear.

Because play is not a privilege. It is a right and protection.

-The writer is county director, Terre des Hommes Netherlands