Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs is celebrating a successful International Day of Play after delivering Playground Takeovers at three schools across Wales, giving children the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon of freely chosen, child-led play.  

The celebrations formed part of the organisation’s third year of Playground Takeovers, created to champion the importance of play and to highlight every child’s right to play. International Day of Play is observed on 11 June and is recognised globally as a moment to protect, promote and prioritise play for children’s development, wellbeing, creativity, resilience and social connection.  

This year’s winning schools were Llanilltuid Faerdref Primary School in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Ysgol y Dderi in Ceredigion, and The Rofft School/Ysgol Rofft in Wrexham. Each school was selected following nominations from the Out of School Childcare Club sector and a public voting process, with one school chosen from South East Wales, West Wales and North Wales.  

Across the three events, children explored loose parts, cardboard, creative materials, games and play resources, transforming school spaces into opportunities for imagination, experimentation and collaboration. Despite wet weather in some areas, the play continued in playgrounds, halls and classrooms, showing that meaningful play can happen anywhere when children are given time, space and permission.  

At Llanilltuid Faerdref Primary School, the Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs team arrived with a van and cars full of resources and were welcomed by around 180 children ready to take part. Children led their own play, built with cardboard, created games, worked together and enjoyed an afternoon focused on fun, freedom and creativity.  

From headteacher to caretaker, the staff at Llanilltuid Faerdref Primary School showed complete support for the event and embraced the ‘chaos’ or ‘ludocentric-ness’, play centered focus of the afternoon.   

The Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs  team heard children saying, “this is the best day ever” and “it’s better than minecraft”, with one child thanking a member of the team for supporting them to solve a rubiks cube. The cardboard city was a firm favorite, one child saying they’d never experienced anything like it, and a lot of the children asking if we were going to come again.  

At Ysgol y Dderi in the heart of rural West Wales our team arrived to a very excited group of children. The children enjoyed an afternoon of cardboard city, bubbles, hammers and nails, clay, dressing up, den building, chalk marking and lots more. Once the school day had finished the team stayed and were welcomed by the Afterschool Club for more fun, the head teacher told us numbers at club had doubled for this evenings session due to advertising International Day of Play take over. A great day was had by all.   

The North Wales team headed across to The Rofft school in Wrexham where 176 children and all the staff enjoyed a wet but fun filled afternoon of play! The children toasted marshmallows and made popcorn on our fire pit, got creative with clay and chalks, explored our ‘tinkering station’ equipped with old electrical items and lots of tools and built amazing creative dens with our den building and cardboard city.  

The school staff were also involved supporting the children to build their dens in higher areas and one group of children loved taping up their teacher with parcel tape!  

We were very excited to have a visit from the Mayor of Wrexham who joined in the play and fun toasting his own marshmallows whilst chatting with the children.  

The afternoon was a great success, the laughs and chatter could be heard all across the yard and comments were made that this was in fact ‘the best playtime ever’ and children asked if the Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs team could now come to every playtime!  

Sarah Bird, Lead IQA at Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs, said: “International Day of Play is an important opportunity to celebrate the power of play and to remind adults that children need time, space and permission to play. It was wonderful to see children across Wales take the lead, use their imagination and enjoy the freedom to play in their own way. The enthusiasm from schools, clubs and communities has helped make this year’s celebrations a real success.” 

International Day of Play recognises play as a fundamental part of childhood. Play supports children’s physical and mental health, social inclusion, belonging, problem-solving, creativity and wellbeing. Through the Playground Takeovers, Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs aimed to demonstrate how simple resources and supportive adults can help create rich play experiences for children.  

Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs would like to thank all schools that were nominated, everyone who voted, and the clubs, staff and communities who supported this year’s International Day of Play celebrations.