3. Invite risk (the safe kind)


Risky play doesn’t mean danger… it means challenge. Think climbing, balancing, jumping, building tall structures, exploring uneven terrain. These experiences strengthen motor skills, courage and decision-making.


4. Protect uninterrupted play time


Children need time to drop into deep play, the kind where narratives form, friendships develop, and problem-solving emerges. A 7-minute ‘choosing time’ won’t cut it. Give them space to stay in the magic.


5. Join in, but don’t take over


Your presence can elevate play but only if you’re a co-player, not the director. Try:


• “Tell me about your game.”


• “What’s happening next?”


• “How can I help?”


Follow their lead. Let them be the authors. If you’ve ever joined a child’s game, you already know you’re not the main character… you’re the sidekick with plenty of snacks.


The real reason play matters


Play is where children discover who they are. It's where they test ideas, build worlds and find their courage. It's where they practise being human.


And early years teachers, practitioners, childminders and nursery teams are the guardians of that magic. You're the ones protecting the messy, imaginative, glorious chaos that shapes brains, hearts and futures. Play isn't just important. It's essential. It's transformative. And it's ours to defend. If play had a fan club, early years practitioners would be running it, with parents as honorary members.


Play didn't just shape my childhood, it shaped me. It sparked my imagination, taught me bravery and gave me a way of understanding the world that still guides me today. It was where I first learned to trust myself, take risks and find joy in the smallest moments. Today, I'm lucky enough to champion play across the UK, working with families, educators, practitioners and communities. Every week, I see the difference play can make, how it connects, empowers and transforms children.


Did you know?


And if you take one thing away from this, let it be this: When in doubt... choose play. It's cheaper than resources, louder than phonics, and works faster than coffee.


About Amber


Amber Ogunsanya-William, known as Playworker Amber, is an Inclusive Play Consultant and the inaugural NSPCC Champion of Childhood. She champions play as a powerful tool for inclusion, belonging and children’s rights, working across communities, cultural institutions and public services to create child-led, inclusive experiences.


Amber made history in 2026 as the first Playworker to bring play into 10 Downing Street! She also


launched the National Play Strategy in Parliament and opened the British Library’s Story Explorers exhibition, championing the power of children’s imagination


Shop Little Learners products and more at ypo.co.uk/earlyyears


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