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Play and rest
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What does this mean?
It’s your right to play and rest that is suitable for your age.
The Government should make it easy for you to play and to take part in cultural activities.
Getting enough sleep and rest and having time to play is important and helps you develop as a person.
EXAMPLE: You have breaks during your school day, you don’t have lessons for the whole day.
Learn more about this right
Do I have this right in Ireland?
- Article 31 of the UNCRC says that it’s your right to play and rest.
- Under the Criminal Justice Act 2006, it’s your right to socialise in your neighbourhood, as long as you are not harassing or causing harm and fear in others.
- Under the Protection of Young Person’s Employment Act 1996, it’s your right to have a part-time job if you are 14 or older. It’s your right to take breaks depending on how long you’ve worked.
Doing a project?
- Getting regular exercise is good for your mental health.
- 23% of young people (13-19 years old) said exercise and sport made them feel better and less stressed.
- Under the age of 2, children should sleep 11+ hours a night. Over 10 year olds should sleep 9+ hours a night.
- In war torn countries, UNICEF work to make playgrounds in refugee camps as it is the right of all children to play.
- It has been suggested that doctors should prescribe ‘play’ to children as a form of therapy. Play is a vital tool in childhood development which helps to improve social skills, language skills and brain development.
- Children in Ireland have one of the highest levels of physical activity among 42 World Health Organisation (WHO) countries and regions (HSBC Survey, 2014).
Links to other organisations
- Kids Health – Find out more about why sleep matters
- Youth Work Ireland – Find out about your local youth club’s activities and services
- Foróige – Find out about your local youth club’s activities and services
- Scouts – Interested in joining the scouts?
- Irish Girl Guides – Interested in joining the girl guides?
- Irish Wheelchair Association – Find out about the Irish Wheelchair Association’s activities and services for young people
- Community Games – Look into the different activities and events organised by the Community Games.
- Súgradh – an Irish organisation promoting the right of play
