Play is a structural component in the integral development of children and adolescents, through it they interact with the environment; relate with the world, others, and nature; and lastly, it also strengthens their imaginative capacity and enhances encounters with both human and non-human beings.
In Colombia, with the advances in public policies for the comprehensive development of children, play is recognized as a right, as a guiding activity in early childhood, and as a fundamental element for the further realization of children’s and adolescents’ rights.
Within the framework of the agreements reached at the Forum on Quality in Early Childhood Education 2020 and a series of webinars on the quality of early education in Colombia, the Inter-American Dialogue, together with the Presidential Advisory Office for Children and Adolescents and with the support of the LEGO Foundation, sought to build a space for exchange that comprised two sessions held on November 10, 2021 and February 17, 2022, which explored and reflected on the role of play in Colombia’s early childhood agenda.
The first event, “The Situation of Play in Colombia,” focused on socializing and debating about the progress of policies, programs, and initiatives that promote play in childhood. This event centered on studies carried out by NiñezYa and Movilizatorio, which offered an overview of play in the country from different perspectives and approaches.
The second event, “Education, Family and Public Spaces,” sought to provide a space to delve into specific topics to approach play from different angles. These were: play and education; play in the home environment; and play in public spaces. For this purpose, it analyzed different significant experiences that illustrated these themes.
