Our Vision:
LOCAL PLAY, EVERY DAY
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Our purpose is to promote, enable and protect the right Australian children have to play, especially where they live. We exist to amplify child's voice regarding their play, we will advocate for children and their play, and we will influence conditions for children to play. We operate with three core values; childism, a playful approach and checking the adult agenda at the door.
The organisation aims to secure child-led free play to build resilience and wellbeing for and with children, where play is not a privilege. Evidence demonstrates that play is many things to children, including an intervention tool for health, wellbeing, efficacy and life satisfaction.
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The Australian Institute of Play is an established not for profit charity.
Mission
We influence opportunities and elevate conditions for children’s play and voices where play is not a privilege.
Today children’s opportunities for play are in decline. When children start to disappear from or are marginalised from spaces that make up everyday life in our society – it is of deep concern. The causes are diverse and complex, societal and receive interdisciplinary attention reaching into areas such as education, health, psychology, environment, geography, design and sociology.
Consequently, serious cardio-metabolic disorders and mental health issues such as depression have been on the rise in adolescence and in early adulthood.
If we are collectively committed to creating a healthier society and a sustainable future for all, we need to accommodate space, time and permission in everything we do to allow children to develop to their full potential.
