The wild, the wobbly, and the wonder of play

Let’s start with a question — have you ever launched yourself off a rope swing with your best friends clinging on for dear life, hoping you’ll land safely on the other side of a towering wooden platform? No? Well, let me tell you, you’ve been missing out.  Because that’s where my journey into play really began… in an adventure playground so epic, so packed with towering wooden castles, rickety rope swings, and full-throttle imagination, that stepping onto it felt like crossing into another dimension.

This was where freedom lived.

Where children ran wild, built things, wrecked things, rebuilt them again, and turned every object into something with a story. The towering wooden platforms weren’t just play equipment; they were fortresses, bridges, pirate ships, and palaces fit for royalty. They were high. Seriously high. And naturally, that meant testing every possible way to get from one platform to another. Which, more often than not, involved swinging across on a giant rope with four kids clinging on at once. A tactical masterpiece? Maybe not. But ridiculously fun? Absolutely!

What sparked my love for play?

Play was never just something I did—it was who I was. I grew up inside an adventure playground. My dad was an adventure playground manager, though he never boasted about it. But to me? He was the ultimate playworker, a magician of imagination, a storyteller who transformed ordinary spaces into extraordinary adventures. One of my most legendary childhood moments was when he convinced us all that a Sabertooth Tiger roamed the African savannah. Except, we weren’t in Africa. We were standing on wooden beams, wrapped in torn bedsheets, pretending we were explorers searching for clues in the dry plains. We believed it. Every one of us, eyes wide, laughter bubbling over, running through the playground in search of our mystical creature. And that’s the thing about play, it doesn’t need props, fancy toys, or structure. It just needs freedom.

Playworkers: The unspoken architects of childhood chaos

Here’s the thing—a playworker is not a supervisor. We don’t just stand around watching kids play. We facilitate, encourage, and make space for discovery.

A playworker is the person who children climb things that look slightly too high, but stands ready in case they need a helping hand. They’re the invisible force behind the magic, ensuring that risk-taking, adventure, and creativity thrive in a safe but unrestricted way.  We know when to step in (like when someone is seconds away from launching themselves into a mud pit and hasn’t realised it yet) and when to step back, because some lessons, like negotiating who gets to be the pirate captain, are best learned through play itself.

I want to make sure every child gets the chance to run, jump, explore, imagine, and discover freely.

Why play is a superpower

The benefits of play? Endless. Play isn’t just fun, it’s foundational. It builds resilience, confidence, and problem-solving skills. It teaches kids to navigate frustration, test their limits, and trust their instincts.  Every time a child runs, jumps, crawls, climbs, paints, digs in the mud, or hosts an imaginary tea party, they are learning. But not in the way that schools often structure learning, in the deepest, most instinctual way.

Play fosters:

• Emotional regulation – learning how to manage frustration, excitement, and disappointment.
• Independence & confidence – making choices, trusting their decisions, and leading their own adventures.
• Creativity – imagining, innovating, storytelling, problem-solving.
• Physical development – strength, coordination, and risk assessment.
• Social skills – negotiation, collaboration, navigating friendships.

And here’s the biggest takeaway, when adults interrupt play too soon, it’s like cutting off a story halfway through. Play needs trial, risk, exploration, and discovery to truly shape a child’s development.

My ultimate goal: A world where play is everywhere

I want play woven into education, childhood policies, and communities. I want play to be recognised as a fundamental right, because it transforms lives. Through adventure playgrounds, organisations like Home Front Outdoor Play, and dedicated play advocacy, I want to make sure every child gets the chance to run, jump, explore, imagine, and discover freely.  Because play isn’t optional—it’s essential.Let’s build a world where play is unstoppable and that’s what I will always continue to do!