Breaktimes are 12% of each school-day
How well are we providing for over half a million children’s right to play in over 3200 Irish primary schoolyards?
Making Space for Play in Irish Schoolyards
About this project
MAKING SPACE FOR PLAY IN IRISH SCHOOLYARDS is evaluating existing provision for play in primary schoolyards across Ireland. This is the first research project internationally to examine provision for childrens Right to Play under Article 31, in schoolyards from a National persepctive and also aims to;
- Raise consciousness on play rights provision in schoolyards
- Develop a novel framework of indicators to support the monitoring and progressive realization of play rights in schoolyards.
- Develop guidance for schools to create optimum conditions for all children to play relevant to the Irish context.
- Contribute to cross-sectoral education, health & social policy aims.
This four-phase project will use diverse methods with school communities to gather data on different aspects of play provision and co-design case study exemplars of change processes with schools.
Are you interested in creating schoolyards where all children can play during breaktime?
This project invites relationships with school communities, interested individuals and organizations to collectively evaluate differing dimensions of the existing situation towards informing practice possibilities
Click below for information on each project.
National School Surveys
Case Studies
News
Delphi Study
Why this project is important
Article 31 Children's Right to Play
(United Nations Committee on the rights of the Child, 2013)
Major role of schools
- Space
- Time
- Permission for play outdoors
Significance of play
- Health
- Learning
- Social lives
- Sense of belonging
Why is play in schoolyards important in your school?
- Send us your thoughts, stories, initiatives & photos
Relevant to Cross Sectoral Policies
- Inclusive Education Framework
- Inclusive Education Policy information
- Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying
- Active School Flag
- Guidelines on Managing Safety, Health and Welfare in Primary Schools
- READY, STEADY, PLAY! A National Play Policy
- AISTEAR Thy Early Childhood Curriculum Framework
- Outdoor Learning
- Primary and Post Primary Design Guidance
- Intercultural Education in the Primary School
- Young Ireland
- National Development Plan 2021-2030
- Creative Youth
- Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors – National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027
- Addressing Obesity
- Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making Action Plan 2024-2028
- Play Strategy 2022-2027
- Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023 – 2030
- National Sports Policy 2018 – 2027
- Healthy Eating and Active Living Programme
Despite government commitments to children’s rights, there is limited data on play provision in Irish primary schoolyards. Research has highlighted significant concerns regarding diverse restrictions on play in schoolyards:
- Lack of funding, policy & guidance
- Poorly designed, overregulated and under-resourced schoolyards
- Spaces of exclusion for children with minoritized identities.
- Increasing restrictions on play.
This research is conducted with the financial support of Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland under Grant number [[GOIPD/2024/783].
The grant was awarded to Dr Michelle Bergin & Dr Bryan Boyle, Occupational Therapists in the School of Clinical Therapies, University College Cork. Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland is the new national research and innovation funding agency, established on the 1st August 2024 through the amalgamation of the activities and functions of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC).
