Free fun for Play Day in Manchester
Hundreds of free activities are on offer this week across Manchester to mark national Play Day this Wednesday 7 August.
Libraries, leisure centres, parks, play schemes, galleries and other cultural venues in the city are all getting in on the Play Day action with a whole host of different activities for children and young people of all ages.
The right of a child to play is something that is enshrined in Article 31 of the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of the child and each year Play Day sets out to celebrate the importance of play in children's lives and to highlight the vital benefits of play for children's happiness, health and creativity.
Venues and parks in every part of Manchester will be joining in the Play Day free fun on Wednesday with everything from Lego in libraries, beatboxing in Burnage, or swimming, soft play and skateboarding, to BMX and balance bikes, books and board games, crafting and cricket, marble runs and racquet sports.
Manchester has a long, proud history of delivering innovative play services for the city's children and young people, with the city's first recorded play scheme being established as far back as 1913 when, according to archive reports, one activity involved sand being delivered to main streets to provide children with the opportunity for enjoyment and the experience of beach play.
Since those early beginnings Manchester's play offer has expanded quite considerably and continues to do so as the city works with UNICEF on its journey towards becoming a Child Friendly City. The council funds local play providers to deliver year-round play opportunities and in 2023, more than 34,000 children benefited from school holiday provision.
And following feedback last year from over 11,000 children and young people, the council has also committed to further increasing free play and recreational opportunities so young people can meet their friends and enjoy themselves in their local area.
Councillor Julie Reid, Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People, said: "Anyone who's been around children will know how much joy children get out of often the simplest of things when they're let loose to explore the world around them. You don't have to be an expert to see that playing is fundamental to children's development. It helps them learn about the world around them, build resilience, make friends, cope with anxiety, and be creative.
"And it's for all these reasons that we're determined to do everything we can to provide as many opportunities as possible across the city for children to play and enjoy themselves, not just on national Play Day, but throughout the year - because in Manchester, we want every day to be play day for our children and young people."
Find out more information about Play Day activities in Manchester here