International Day of Play

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, play is a fundamental and essential component of physical, social, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual development; and

WHEREAS, play and recreation are essential to the health and well-being of children and promote the development of creativity, imagination, self-confidence, and self-efficacy; and

WHEREAS, play includes many kinds of experiences, from play that gives children the freedom to explore and discover with minimal constraints, to play that is more guided or structured; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that play is the brain’s favorite way to learn; and

WHEREAS, children worldwide face many barriers to play, with one in three children lacking the time to play, one in five lacking safe spaces to play, and one in five having no one to play with; and

WHEREAS, every child can reach their full potential, with the time, space, and access to play; and, every child can play no matter their background, ability, or context; and

WHEREAS, for all these reasons, nations of the world have come together to recognize and celebrate the power of play through adoption of an annual International Day of Play;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize June 11, 2024, as INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PLAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations