Play in Leeds – Celebrating International Day of Play

What is International Day of Play?

International Day of Play is observed globally on June 11 every year. Established by the United Nations in 2024, the day champions the essential right of children to play, highlighting its critical role in learning, emotional well-being, and developing vital life skills. This #InternationalDayofPlay, let’s commit to protect every child’s right to play. Because when we protect play, we protect childhood.

Child Friendly City = Playful Streets

Help make Leeds the UK’s most playful city

Play is a fundamental right for every child. It helps children build friendships, confidence, creativity and resilience, while supporting their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. This International Day of Play, Child Friendly Leeds is inviting residents across the city to help create more opportunities for children to play where they live.

As one of the UK’s leading Child Friendly Cities, Leeds is committed to ensuring children have the time, space and permission to play. Through our Play Sufficiency work, we have a simple ambition: more children playing in Leeds, more of the time.

Play doesn’t just happen in playgrounds. It happens on streets, doorsteps, green spaces and in neighbourhoods where children feel safe, welcome and connected to their communities.

That’s why we’re launching a city-wide Play Streets competition.

A Child Friendly City Needs Playful Streets & Spaces. Play Streets allow roads and local spaces to be temporarily closed to through traffic, creating safe spaces where children can play, cycle, scoot, chalk, create and spend time with friends and neighbours close to home. Play Streets are a simple idea with a big impact. They help bring communities together, encourage active play and create opportunities for children to enjoy their right to play right on their doorstep.

To celebrate the International Day of Play, ten streets across Leeds will receive an official Child Friendly Leeds orange Play Street bin filled with playful resources and equipment to support outdoor play and community activity.

Leeds Play Streets Competition Details

To celebrate the International Day of Play, Child Friendly Leeds is inviting communities across Leeds to help make our city more playful. Ten successful Play Street applicants will receive an official Child Friendly Leeds orange Play Street bin filled with playful resources and equipment to support outdoor play and community activity.

Who can enter?

The competition is open to Leeds residents who submit an application to organise a Play Street in Leeds.

How to enter?

1. Submit a Play Street application through Leeds City Council.
2. Eligible applications received before 31^st July will automatically be entered into the draw.
3. Ten streets will be selected at random to receive a Child Friendly Leeds Play Street bin & fun resources.

Not eligible for a play street? Little Ideas That Make a Big Difference

If you can’t run a Play Street, there are still plenty of simple ways to bring more play into everyday life. We know life is busy – but even five minutes of silliness can spark joy! We will soon be sharing our summer guide of free and low cost things to do and places to go but for now why not try some of these playful ideas:

• Walk, wheel or scoot to school and notice the world around you
• Say hello to children playing outside and help create a welcoming atmosphere
• Visit a local park or green space and make time to explore
• Play a game together in a public space — play can happen anywhere!
• Let children help plan family adventures, big or small
• Create a chalk art space outside your home — or take your chalk for a wander
• Organise a simple doorstep game with neighbours
• Share your favourite playful place in Leeds with others
• Support local Play Street events when you can
• Give children more time, space and permission to play

Quick, playful activities to try at home or nearby:

• Have a kitchen disco to your favourite songs
• Splash into water play – indoors or outdoors
  • Pouring and filling containers
  • Testing what sinks or floats
  • Making potions, perfumes or imaginary worlds
  • Jumping in puddles!
• Go on a walk, cycle or scoot and turn it into a bingo-spotting game
• Create a “hot lava” obstacle course using cushions, pillows or outdoor objects
• Gather everyday items and turn them into imaginative play props

There are also lots of brilliant ideas and inspiration from organisations like Play Scotland if you’d like even more ways to get started. Because play doesn’t only happen in playgrounds – it happens everywhere.

Child Friendly Leeds 12 Wishes

There are 12 Child Friendly Leeds wishes. These 12 wishes represent the voices of 80,000 children and young people from across Leeds.

There is work taking place within Leeds City Council, lead by our ‘Wish Leads’, on Wish 2 all around safe spaces to play and hang out with annual goals and projects linked to the wish taking place here.

Leeds is also the first city in the UK to lead on a Play Sufficiency journey to make sure that all children in Leeds have time, space and permission to play.

When we think about Play Sufficiency, it is also important to remember that children have a legislated right to play. The work of the Play Sufficiency project is really important and is a part of the child-friendly approach.

Wish 2 Page >

Communications and Media

Any questions or to get involved in future projects and campaigns, please email: childfriendlyleeds@leeds.gov.uk