Playtimes at Petersfield
At Petersfield Infant School, we believe that play is a vital and powerful part of every child’s development. Play is not just something children do at breaktime, it is how they learn, grow and thrive.
We are committed to providing rich, varied and meaningful play opportunities every day, ensuring that all children can explore, create, take appropriate risks and enjoy being active with others.
Why Play Matters
Research shows that play is one of the most important foundations of childhood. It supports children’s physical health, emotional wellbeing and social development.
Through play, children:
- develop confidence and resilience
- learn to solve problems and think creatively
- build friendships and communication skills
- practice teamwork, negotiation and compromise
- improve concentration and behaviour when they return to the classroom
- develop coordination, balance and physical strength
Play also allows children to experience joy, curiosity and a strong sense of identity, helping them feel happy, secure and ready to learn.
Our Approach to Play
We provide children with protected, unstructured time to play every day, recognising that this is essential for their development and wellbeing.
Our outdoor environment offers a wide range of opportunities, including:
- imaginative play such as dressing up
- construction areas using crates, tyres, wood and loose parts
- small world play with tuff trays, vehicles and resources
- natural play, including water, mud kitchen and sand
- creative activities such as music making
- quieter spaces for reflection and calm play
We are continually developing our play provision to ensure it is engaging, inclusive and beneficial for all children.
The Role of Risk in Play
We understand that parents / carers may sometimes worry about children getting hurt. However, we believe that managed, age-appropriate risk is an important part of learning.
Research highlights that children need opportunities to experience challenge and small risks in order to:
- build resilience and independence
- learn how to assess and manage situations
- develop confidence and self-reliance
When children are trusted to explore their environment safely, they develop the skills they need to navigate the wider world.
Our Commitment
Our aim is to create a culture where play is valued, inclusive and central to school life. Evidence from schools with strong play provision shows:
- improved behaviour and engagement
- increased physical activity
- happier, more confident children
- greater inclusion for all children
At Petersfield Infant School, we are proud to place play at the heart of our approach, supporting every child to develop the confidence, resilience and curiosity they need to succeed.