National Play Day

National play day takes place generally on the first Wednesday in August every year in the UK where community events take place all around the country. 

It originated in London and spread from just a couple local events there in 1987 to being a nationwide event with over 850 events in 2012 and being the biggest celebration of play in possibly all of Europe. 

It's aims to highlight the importance of children's right to play, something I feel is currently very important to put and keep in the spotlight. The reasons why would be a whole essay worth of a post. 

Stockports main event is held at Torkington Park, Hazel Grove, from 11am til 4pm and is generally a free event. No entrance fee, most activities free and those that are not just a very small cost of (25-50p). 

I have taken my little girl the past two years and both years have been a brilliant success. Very large turnout's (particularly last year when it was scorching hot sunshine), a surplus of fun activities to do and in general a great day for children.

There was slightly less on this year, but still with plenty to do mostly for free you can't complain! Craft activities, clowns and clown skills activities, hay stacks, emergency services attend in some form for a short while (ambulance/fire engine to educate the children) sand pit, music (provided by Pure.FM I think), soft play areas (all outside obviously), slides, hook a duck (with lovely prizes) and other similar games, bouncy castle, zip wire for older children, badge making, cardboard city, last year tribal instruments stand, smoothie stall and decorate a t-shirt stall, free balloons both years and I'm sure I've missed things out. 

There were also support stalls for breast feeding, Family Link Stockport (who gave out lot's of info on summer events/activities), local sure start centers were represented and ran a little treasure hunt (play scheme staff help run the event) and a local nursery were present helping advertise the Just for 2's nursery offer as well as bringing a long their pet tortoise for the children to see.

Besides all that there is also a great looking playground at Torkington park which we have yet to try out.

Below are some photo's of G enjoying some of the activities from both years events.

2013

Colouring In

Slides and other fun

Not sure what this was but she liked it

Slides

Tribal instruments

Drumming

Balancing

Cardboard City

Crafty fun

Lovely time seeing, playing and hearing the instruments

More drumming

Clown school

Haystacks

2014

Haystack fun a year on

Hook a Duck 25p and three prizes

Bouncing

Bouncy castle 50p

Sandpit with her cousin

Balancing skills



Fingers crossed they will still have funding to continue next year.