“Children nowadays have little playtime and space. Activities are confined to the playground and indoors. There is nowhere my child can play freely and safely.”

Wang, Beijing

“My daughter is happiest when she can play outside with her two brothers. And she is even happier when I have time to join them.”

Sarila, Istanbul

“My son is never happier than when he's covered in mud!”

Maria, Buenos Aires

“I play a lot with my daughter – especially because I work a lot. When I am here, my time is dedicated exclusively to her. We draw and paint. These moments with her soon pass, and I will lose them if I don’t take them now.”

Hejina, Porto Alegre

“My daughter is an only child, so I try to give her opportunities throughout the week to play with other children. We live in a violent city so it’s hard to find safe spaces but it is possible.”

Mirella, Rio de Janeiro

“Things have changed a lot in Brazil. In the past, we were very free and played outside at the beach, the lake, the park... Nowadays, parents are much more concerned about their children, they don’t let them go out of their sight.”

Abby, Rio de Janeiro

“I can actually see my daughter learning as she plays. Overcoming challenges is the best way for her to pick up new skills – and her confidence soars too...”

Fiona, London

“Nowadays, parents want children to spend spare time taking organised classes. When we were young, play was just play.”

Zhou, Shanghai

“After my children finish school, they sometimes play computer games, but mainly they watch TV. They play indoors most of the time. Whenever my children are out – riding bikes or playing football – I have to go with them to supervise. I probably won’t feel confident to let them go by themselves until they’re 16 or 18. They’re 3 and 8 now. I don’t want my sons mixing with bad boys from the neighbourhood.”

Mai-Bing, Vietnam

“My two girls watch more TV than I’d like, and they’re always texting friends on their mobiles. Children seem to have lost the ability to just play with nothing.”

Sally, Cape Town