International Play Association

Ute Navidi

The International Play Association's (IPA's) raison d'être is “to protect, preserve and promote the child's right to play as a fundamental human right,” enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Founded in 1961, IPA has developed into a dynamic international network organization with members in around 50 countries and many active groups. The roots of IPA are in Scandinavia, where emerging barriers to children's play were first identified in the 1930s. Spreading urbanization and increases in road traffic led to the designation of specific areas for children's play. By 1937, Stockholm/Sweden sported nine parks with trained play leaders, and in Denmark, adventure playgrounds in which children were allowed to build their own habitats emerged in 1945. Interest in quality play opportunities for children grew. In 1958,10 European country representatives met to discuss playgrounds and leadership, and three years later in Denmark, IPA was born. ...

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