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To promote NATIONAL PLAY DAY, the Ballymun Partnership supported by the Dublin North West Childcare Resource Centre organised a play seminar in the Ballymun Plaza on June 26th 2007. The aim of the seminar was to highlight the benefits of play in childhood development. The chosen theme for the seminar was Ballymun in the rare old times. Guest speakers included Carol Duffy, Irish Pre School Play Groups Association and Steve Goode, National Play Resource Centre.
Participants at the event included local parents, childcare providers and grandparents. The morning began with a workshop by Carol Duffy on Out door spaces Remembering where children play. Carmel invited attendees to recall their favourite childhood play spaces and games. Participants did not need much prompting to provide a rich account of their own favourite childhood memories. Steve Goode then followed with a workshop on Old and New Ways of Play. Many of the traditional street games and rhymes were recalled.
It reminded us all of how children liked to play before computers, play stations and even televisions became household items. It was agreed that children today enjoy the same things as children of yesterday. Steve brought along copies of Spraoi le Cheile Playing Together a resource manual of traditional Irish games, songs and rhymes for all ages.
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