June 11th is International Day of Play in Nova Scotia!
Play is a right, not a privilege! International Day of Play is on June 11th annually. Whether you're in Halifax or a small community, there are free events, tools, and resources to help you bring the power of play to life.
The IDOP celebrates and raises awareness of the right to play, as enshrined in Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the most widely ratified human rights treaty.
pdf Official event backgrounder(228 KB)
IDoP Resources
We're making it easy for Nova Scotia community groups and communities to join. Get our free IDOP 2025 Community Activation Kit packed with:
- Step-by-step event planning guide – Simple tools to get your event off the ground.
- Play activity ideas – Fun for all ages, from backyard games to large-scale play events.
- Ready-to-use digital promo materials – Posters, graphics, and social media content
Find all the resources you need to plan your own event, with our International Day of Play Resources
How You Can Get Involved
- Host an IDoP event in your community – We provide the tools, and you bring the fun.
- Volunteer or partner – Join forces with organizations across Nova Scotia.
- Spread the word – Use #IDoP2025 and #IDoP2025NovaScotia and share your play-filled moments.
Play Transformed Halifax: A Look Back at IDoP 2024!
The 2024 International Day of Play (IDoP) in Halifax was a big success, proving that when communities come together, play can transform lives! Families, educators, and community leaders joined forces to celebrate the power of play through dynamic, interactive experiences.
From the Old Time PlayDay at the Halifax Waterfront, where classic games brought generations together, to the Loose Parts Play Event, which
encouraged creativity and exploration, the city came alive with the energy of play.
Play-focused film screenings sparked conversations about the role of play in child development, while social media engagement amplified the movement across Nova Scotia.
With overwhelming enthusiasm and participation, IDoP 2024 set the stage for an even bigger and better 2025.
Play builds healthier, happier, and more connected communities. Whether you're a family, an educator, a business, or a community leader, you can join the movement.
Check back soon and visit our social channels to access your free resources and bring IDoP 2025 to life in your community.
Short Documentaries on Childhood and Play
This is Why Play is so Important
This is Why Play is So Important – The film, commissioned by Play Wales, captures why play is vital to children’s development, mental health, wellbeing, and happiness. From street play to playgrounds, living rooms to back gardens, the film captures play in all its different guises and offers a unique insight into what play means to children of all ages. Source - Public Health Network Cymru (Wales).
Running Free: Children's Independent Mobility
Running Free: Children's Independent Mobility - Letting our children loose to explore their neighbourhoods, to get from home to school and back, or to play with friends just ain’t what it used to be. For over 40 years, kids’ independent mobility has been in a state of progressive decline. In this documentary, three families share the journeys that lead to their children being empowered to get around more independently. Source - PlayGroundology, Producer - Guy Faulkner.
The Children of Fogo Island
The Children of Fogo Island - It’s the summer of 1967 in a remote region of Newfoundland. Local kids are shadowing a documentary film crew on Fogo Island in Canada’s far east. Their status as curious onlookers is flipped on its head when the director turns the camera on them. The kids become part of the action. Source – PlayGroundology, Director - Colin Low, National Film Board of Canada.