Play Scotland

Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland has submitted a motion to Parliament to congratulate Southesk Primary School in Montrose on becoming the first school in Angus to achieve OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) accreditation, achieving Platinum status with an outstanding score of 95%. We would love to have the motion debated in parliament to raise awareness of the importance of play and how it can support learning.

Join us on Saturday 5th September to delve into the new SPACES guide, developed by the World Health Organisation, which explores how public spaces are crucial to children’s health and development, and how we can plan for them. “Pollution, traffic, overcrowding and climate-related hazards increasingly restrict children’s freedom to move, play and thrive.

Play Scotland is pleased to be part of Future North 2027, a two-day event led by Alice Sharp and in collaboration with Early Years Scotland, SCMA and Together. Secure your tickets The event will bring together people working across education, child development, creativity, business and sustainability to examine the challenges facing children and share ideas for improving childhood in Scotland.

We are delighted to announce that Fiona, our Play Pedagogy Lead is stepping into the role of Head of Services at Play Scotland starting this August. Fiona joined Play Scotland in 2022 as Project Co-ordinator for the Play Pedagogy Award and became our Play Pedagogy Lead in 2025.

Wednesday 5th August is Playday, the national day for play! We’re teaming up with Aberlour Children’s Charity to host a FREE play event, and we’d love you to come! Expect a wide range of fun activities including a scavenger hunt, bouncy castle, loose parts, a sand pit, and so much more! We will also be holding a stall to chat about and get your views on the recent developments to the play parks in Aberdeen.

Scotland’s Play Park Survey is a Scotland-wide consultation on local play spaces. The Scottish Government want to know about your local play park! As part of Scotland’s Play Park Renewal Programme, the Scottish Government want to hear from families across Scotland about their local play spaces. Play Scotland is delighted to be working with the Scottish Government to deliver this research on play park improvements. The questions are mainly multiple-choice: how often do you visit your park?

Woody and Buzz have a new quest: to wrestle with the explosion of digital play. It seems they are not alone in this mission, with 24% of parents of 3‑ to 5‑year‑olds finding it hard to control their child’s screen time. How much screen time is too much? And how can you support healthy habits in your family? With the new Toy Story movie out today, playing in cinemas around the world, we wanted to share some thoughts about play in the digital age.

Credit: Talking Mats What happens when we genuinely listen to children about their play, not just asking quick questions or making assumptions, but really giving them the space, time and tools to share what matters to them? That was the thread running through a recent event, led by Margo Mackay, that I was lucky to attend, where a new ‘Talking Mats’ play resource was introduced.

Wednesday 5 August 2026 is Playday, the national day for play. Celebrated across the UK each year, Playday calls on families, community leaders, play providers, childcare settings, and everyone working with children and young people to promote and champion the importance of play. We are delighted to announce that the theme for this year’s Playday is… This year’s theme highlights the importance of creating opportunities for children to play wherever they are.

We are delighted to invite you to Annual General Meeting and Strategy Launch party! Featuring a drinks reception and keynote speaker, we are excited to share our plans to champion every child’s right to play. Save the Date: Wednesday 28 October, 5:30 – 8pm Play Scotland AGM & Strategy Launch Heart of Midlothian Football Club, Edinburgh