Nursery World - 'Discover the power of play'

As we move towards the ‘new normal’, National Play Week (from 21 June) provides an opportunity to raise the profile of play and place it at the heart of our practice, says Early Years Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch.

The Alliance is providing a free resource pack and an an expert panel discussion to tie in.

It’s hard to imagine what life must have been like as a young child during lockdown.

No playgrounds, no parents and toddler groups and no soft play. No play dates and no nursery, pre-school or childminder. Only being allowed outside once a day at the height of the pandemic, and even then being told not to go anywhere near other people. Not seeing family and friends in real life for months on end. Hearing vague talk of germs, viruses, and even death.

As a grown adult, the pandemic and the fundamental way it has changed our daily lives has affected me profoundly. There is no doubt in my mind, therefore, that our youngest children – some of whom have lived the majority of their lives in some kind of lockdown – will have been affected in ways that we may not be able to see for some time.

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