Barriers to children’s play were recognised in Scandinavia as early as the 1930s when, to counteract the effects of increasing urbanisation and motor traffic, specific areas with trained play workers were designated for children’s play.
Interest in providing quality play opportunities for children gradually increased and in 1955 a major seminar on playgrounds was held in Europe. The need for international action was evident. In 1961 IPA was born.
The United Nations’ International Year of the Child in 1979 injected IPA with new energy and a desire to become truly international. That year it held its first triennial conference outside Europe (in Ottawa, Canada). Since then, triennial conferences have been held worldwide and a global perspective has been realised.
Though IPA began its life with an emphasis on adventure playgrounds, it gradually changed its focus to play itself and to the child’s right to play. In the 1980s IPA was effective in establishing the word “play” in Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
On 1 February 2013, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child ratified General Comment No. 17 on Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Committee had tasked IPA with leading the creation of the General Comment.
