Play on a shoestring – why low-cost play is our favourite!

It’s all too easy to find yourself drawn in to feeling you need more expensive or elaborate toys, or even simple ones, especially when you’re feeling a bit lost for something to do. But the best memories and most important skills are often built from the everyday things we do.  

This summer we're celebrating all the ways that play is brilliant for development, mental health and social connections – for children but also for parents. And we want to make sure it's all as free, or cheap, as possible so your family can focus on the fun to be had, without barriers to get there.  

From babies preferring keys to toys, toddlers wanting to help you clean up a spill instead of playing and children building whole worlds around an empty cardboard box – sometimes less really is more when it comes to play. 

In the UK, we celebrate the brilliance of play with a National Day of Play (also known as Playday) on the first Wednesday of August each year. 

Playday this year is celebrating “play on a shoestring” to remind everyone that you don’t need a lot to enjoy, and get the most out of, play.  

On Wednesday 3rd August 2023 there will be Playday events run all across the UK by independent groups. They vary in size, type and feel, but they are all celebrating play in ways that are joyful, and accessible, no matter your budget.   

To learn more about Playday, and find out what events might be happening near you, pop over to their website at: https://www.playday.org.uk/.   

If you can’t make it to an official event, or simply don’t feel it would be a good fit for your family, you can have just as much fun celebrating play at home.  

If you’re stuck for ideas for your child, remember to check the activities linked to your child’s active skills and don’t forget to try out your activity of the day as well.  

Keep checking back on your Today screen, too, as all summer we’ll be sharing ways to fill time without baby or toddler groups, along with ideas for activities that work for children of different ages, recipes and more to help fill the summer with fun.  

Last week we shared how to design and throw your own sensory play group at home (or in the park!), and ways to make water play work for groups of siblings and visiting friends. 

This week we’re also launching a Summer Play Kit on the app, to celebrate the National Day of Play here in the UK.  

You can find the Summer Play Kit here or at the bottom of your today screen throughout the summer for you and your family to come back to any time you need some inspiration for play.  

If you need a little bit of inspiration or have a brilliant idea you want to share with other parents, we’d love to hear it!  

You can join our parent community over on Facebook, or share it with us on our other social media platforms like Threads, Instagram and TikTok.