Get Ready for the 2025 International Day of Play in Nova Scotia!
Play is a right, not a privilege! On June 11, 2025, Nova Scotia is coming together for the International Day of Play(IDoP)—a celebration of movement, creativity, and connection. 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)
International Day of Play Events in Nova Scotia
Central Region
Loose Parts Play-a-Palooza & Old Time Play
Loose Parts Play-A-Palooza is rescheduled due to weather. It will now take place on June 8 from 1 to 3 pm. Hope to see you Sunday at Peace and Friendship Park to celebrate the International Day of Play!
Old Time Play - change of venue now taking place at Peace and Friendship Park across from the Westin Hotel from 1 to 3 pm. Hope to see you Sunday at this new space to celebrate the International Day of Play.
Loose Parts Play-a-Palooza - Sunday, June 8th,1-3pm - Peace and Friendship Park, Halifax - Loose parts are materials that can be moved around, combined and put together creating spontaneous, temporary play spaces 'designed' by children themselves. Some typical loose parts include cardboard boxes, milk crates, car and bike tires, rope, cardboard tubes, fabrics, etc. Children decide how and what to play without instructions. We are also delighted to be featuring the Multicultural Playtime Society to showcase and teach children’s games from around the world. This is a fun family event most suitable for children 4 and older. Please remember to be prepared for the weather - hats, sunscreen, water. Thanks to all the individuals and organizations who are helping to make this event possible with a particular shout out to the Downtown Halifax Business Commission and the IDoP2025 Ad hoc Committee.
Old Time Play - Sunday, June 8th,1-3pm - Peace and Friendship Park, Halifax- Skipping, bean bag toss, hula hooping, tug of war, physical activity games and stencilled sidewalk challenges and much more. This is a fun family event most suitable for children 4 and older. Please remember to be prepared for the weather - hats, sunscreen, water. Thanks to all the individuals and organizations who are helping to make this event possible with a particular shout out to the Build Nova Scotia and the IDoP2025 Ad hoc Committee.
Highland Region
Make Your Move New Glasgow
Drop by Laurie Park (corner of Dalhousie Street and Temperance Street, New Glasgow) from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on June 11th to try our loose parts play, games and more! Can't make it to Laurie Park? Each June, playboxes are placed at each community centre in New Glasgow for the summer. Stop by any time to play with the equipment inside!
Keep your eyes on the Make Your Move New Glasgow Facebook page for "June Play Bingo" coming soon! Use the International Day of Play bingo card to have some fun next month and win prizes. Visit the Make Your Move New Glasgow Facebook Page for more information.
Bring IDoP to Your Community!
Thanks to the organizations who registered to receive an International Day of Play Promotional Kit! All kits have been distributed to those who registered.
Organizations that received kits are asked to please complete an evaluation form. The feedback received on this project will help Recreation Nova Scotia deremine how best to support International Day of Play in the future!
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
Meet the Champions of Play!
IDoP 2025 is powered by an incredible group of organizations working to bring play to every corner of Nova Scotia:
- Recreation Nova Scotia – Leading the charge for active communities.
- Halifax Regional Municipality – Supporting play-friendly spaces and local events.
- Build Nova Scotia – Helping make play happen in public spaces.
- Healthy Tomorrow Foundation – Championing the connection between play, physical activity, and health.
- Dalhousie University – Mobilizing student volunteers and research support.
- Discover Halifax – Spreading the word and showcasing play in our city.
- Downtown Halifax & Dartmouth Business Commissions – Engaging local businesses in play.
- PlayGroundology – Sharing stories and resources that celebrate the joy of play.
- Multicultural Playtime Society – Bringing culturally diverse play experiences to the forefront.
- International Play Association (IPA) Canada – Advocating for children's right to play.
- Association of Early Childhood Educators of Nova Scotia (AECENS) – Empowering early childhood educators to embrace play.
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.