Play & Leisure

A child's day is full of play. Play helps children learn and practice new skills, make friends and find a sense of self. Play changes as children develop into adults and includes hobbies and leisure activities.

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Play and Leisure

A child's main occupation is play.  It is through play that children learn and practice new skills, make friends and find a sense of self.

There are a number of different ways to think about and define play.  Play can be broken up into a number of types:

Photo image of a child looking into the camera with their hands reaching forwards covered in different colours of paint (Shutterstock image)

Explorative Play

Children explore the world through play. Through exploratory play they learn about the world and the effect they can have on the environment.

Explorative Play

Photo image of a child playing with playdough on a table looking directly into the camera (Shutterstock image)

Functional/Manipulative Play

Children learn about objects and their use through functional play.

Functional/Manipulative Play

Photo image of children outside riding their bikes (Shutterstock image)

Active/Energetic Play

Energetic play supports the development of your child’s motor skills and helps them to become healthy fit adults.

Active/Energetic Play

Photo image of three children sitting around a yellow beanbag and playing a game together (Shutterstock image)

Social Play

Social play supports children to learn how to communicate with others.

Social Play

Photo image of children outside having a teddy bear picnic (Shutterstock image)

Pretend Play

Through pretend play children learn to express themselves and practice adult and cultural roles.

Pretend Play

The Scottish Government

In June 2013, the Scottish Government launched Scotland's first national Play Strategy.  This strategy was built on the views of children and young people, parents and carers, the play sector and others involved in children's wellbeing.

Play encompasses children's behaviour which is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. It is performed for no external goal or reward, and is a fundamental and integral part of healthy development - not only for individual children but also for the society in which they live.
- Play Strategy for Scotland 2013

Play Strategy for Scotland 2013


If you would like to read this document please download here.

 

NHS Health Scotland

NHS Health Scotland have published three books to encourage parents to establish good exercise habits and setting the foundation for learning throughout life. 

Each book has a programme of play activities for babies and young children which will help your child's development and well-being. There are three books available:

  • Play@home Baby (birth to one year).
  • Play@home toddler (one to three years).
  • Play@home Pre-school (three to five years).

The books are issued free of charge to all parents with children under 5 years within Scotland.  For further downloadable activities sheets from NHS Health Scotland click here.

Life Skills

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