National Play Resource Centre

Links to sites of interest with information about play

The National Play Resource Centre provides links to external websites from this page and others. It cannot be held responsible for their content in any way and does not endorse offensive or inappropriate material. If you find a site that you don't think should be here, please tell us and we will remove it immediately: contact us here. 

• Office of the Minister of Children
  http://www.omc.gov.ie/
  A copy of the Ready Steady Play The National Play Policy can be downloaded from this site
  http://www.nco.ie/publications/27/
  Recent research on Young People’s Views about Opportunities, Barriers and Supports to Recreation and Leisure, a study carried out by Dr Áine de Roiste and Ms Joan Dinneen of the Cork Institute of Technology, on behalf of the National Children’s Office can also be downloaded.
  http://www.nco.ie/publications/62/
  
• Súgradh
  Súgradh is a registered charity promoting the child's right to play in Ireland
  http://www.playireland.ie/
  
• IPPA
  IPPA, the Early Childhood Organisation, is committed to promoting quality play based early childhood education and care.
  http://www.ippa.ie/
  
• Children in Hospital Ireland
  Children In Hospital Ireland works to ensure that all children in hospital have the opportunity to play.
  http://www.childreninhospital.ie
  
• Regional Hospital Limerick "Ark Project"
  The “Ark Project” is a scheme which develops, provides and maintains child friendly enhancements in the hospital.
  http://www.mwhb.ie/ark
  
• Play Board
  Play Board is the lead agency for children's play in Northern Ireland, working to improve the quality of children's lives by increasing their opportunity to play.
  http://www.playboard.org/
  
• Play Wales
  Play Wales/Chwarae Cymru is the national organisation for children's play in Wales; an independent charity funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.
  http://www.playwales.org.uk/
  
• Play Scotland
  Promotes children’s play in Scotland
  http://www.playscotland.org/
  
• Children’s Play Council UK
  The Children's Play Council website brings you the latest play information conferences and events plus links you'll find helpful. Includes the newsletter  ‘Playmatters’.
  http://www.ncb.org.uk/cpc/
  
• Free Play Network
  A interesting exhibition of play environments
  http://www.freeplaynetwork.org.uk/playlink/exhibition
  
• London Play
  London Play supports development of play for London’s children. You can down load a copy of ‘Guide to Preparing Play Strategies’ from this site.
  http://www.londonplay.org.uk/
  
• International Play Association
  The IPA promotes the importance of play in child development around the world. The site includes access to the ‘Playrights’ Journal
  http://www.ipaworld.org/
  
• GAIN Playground
  An example of how an award-winning playground was developed.
  http://www.gainplayground.co.uk/
  
• Discover Story Garden
  This interesting play project is based in Stratford in the East End of London. It is an oasis in a deprived inner city borough.
  http://www.discover.org.uk/
  
• CABE Space
  Have many interesting and useful publications on use of green space, consultation with young people and the design and management of parks.
  http://www.cabespace.org.uk/
  
• RoSPA
  Information on playground safety and the European guidelines for playground design
  http://www.rospa.com/
  
• Irish Play Therapy Association
  The Irish Play Therapy Association is a professional body that registers Play Therapists in Ireland.
  www.ipta.ie