International Day Of Play 2025: Quotes, Why And How To Celebrate The Day?

Last Updated:June 11, 2025, 07:10 IST

International Day of Play 2025: Celebrated on June 11, the day highlights play’s role in child development.

International Day Of Play 2025: Celebrated on June 11, the International Day of Play marks a powerful step forward in recognising the vital role of play in every child’s life. It serves as a global reminder to protect, promote, and prioritise play—not just for fun, but as an essential part of a child’s growth and development. This day celebrates the transformative power of play while also calling on communities, educators, and leaders to ensure that every child, everywhere, can enjoy their right to play and reach their full potential.

International Day Of Play 2025: Theme

In 2025, the International Day of Play will be observed with the theme “Choose Play – Every Day.” The theme serves as a reminder to all of us—governments, corporations, educational institutions, and families—to make choices that value and encourage children’s play.

International Day of Play 2025: History

The first International Day of Play was celebrated on June 11, 2024, signifying a global commitment to acknowledge and celebrate the value of play in children’s development.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations General Assembly set this date in March 2024 following a resolution that was co-proposed by several countries, including Vietnam. Since then, the International Day of Play has been observed officially.

The first commemoration in 2024 focused on the themes of “Time to Play,” “Space to Play,” “Quality of Play,” and “Play Never Ends.” It also featured participatory activities and conversations.

The event was co-organised by member governments and organisations such as the LEGO Foundation, the LEGO Group, UNESCO, and UNICEF.

International Day of Play 2025: Significance

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child’s description of children’s fundamental right to play served as the impetus for the founding of this day. The purpose of the day is to boost public awareness on the advantages of play for children’s growth, education, and general well-being.

It is a day to emphasise the value of play as a child’s fundamental right and to promote regulations and processes that encourage play in every aspect of children’s lives.

It also helps people become more resilient, creative, and innovative. Play helps children in particular develop relationships and enhances their ability to govern, overcome trauma, and solve problems.

Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises play as a fundamental right of all children.

The international play day elevates the value of play by fostering a time of unity on a local, national, and worldwide level. It serves as a signal for global demand for financing, training, and policies to integrate play into community and educational contexts.

International Day of Play 2025: Quotes

• “We don’t stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing,” – George Bernard Shaw.
• “Play is not a break from learning. It is endless, delightful, deep, engaging, practical learning,” – Vince Gowmon.
• “Play builds bridges, sparks creativity, and creates unforgettable memories,” – Sozler Sepeti.
• “It’s the things we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in our lives,” – Fred Rogers.
• “Learning, self-expression, creativity, and constructive problem-solving all stem from play. It’s how children wrestle with life to make it meaningful,” – American psychiatrist Susan Linn.

International Day of Play 2025: How to celebrate?

UNICEF invites people and organisations to participate in the event by exchanging ideas, encouraging play-based activities, and spreading knowledge on the advantages of play for children. This handful of entertaining and simple ideas for schools to celebrate the day are meant to be both enjoyable and meaningful.

1. Creative Storytelling Sessions: Arrange storytelling workshops where children and their parents collaborate to create stories. Encourage collaborative creation by using ideas to spark their imagination and help students create new characters, settings, and storylines.
2. Workshops on Movement and Mindfulness: Organise classes that blend mindfulness exercises with enjoyable movement exercises like yoga or dance. These sessions can improve emotional sensitivity and group joy.
3. Outdoor Scavenger Hunts: Organise a nature scavenger hunt in a nearby park or on school property, and invite families to participate. This strengthens bonds with the environment and encourages physical exercise, observational abilities, and a love of the natural world.

Bhaswati Sengupta

Bhaswati Sengupta is a Sub-Editor at News18, where she works closely with the Web Stories and Photo Gallery team to create visually engaging and impactful digital content. She also contributes to Lifestyle sect…Read More

Bhaswati Sengupta is a Sub-Editor at News18, where she works closely with the Web Stories and Photo Gallery team to create visually engaging and impactful digital content. She also contributes to Lifestyle sect… Read More

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