PLAY @ HOME: Games for Health and Wellbeing during the COVID-19 Outbreak

The following is a collection of game infographics that were developed by Right To Play global and country team staff in March 2020, to quickly respond to needs arising in their communities due to the COVID-19 crisis. School closure, restrictions on movement, and home/facility-based confinement constrained the ability of staff to physically reach children to address the multiple impacts of the crisis. Remote solutions were developed as a first response in order to deliver key messages and develop key skills in children and families that support their health and wellbeing, using a play-based approach.

Drawing from the evidence available at the time on the health and psychosocial concerns for children arising from COVID-19, and Right To Play’s own framework of life skills that support psychosocial wellbeing, the group developed a framework of skills that integrate both and turned these into messages for children and families, reinforced with games that could be easily simplified and adapted into short steps from our games database. This content was then turned into infographics, short videos, leaflets, radio spots, and resource manuals for distribution by teacher networks, community coach networks, Right To Play social media platforms and local partners. This resource contains that same content in the form of infographics for global reach that can be adapted for local use.

During the COVID-19 crisis, play has a vital role in giving children the breathing space to relax and be children, create connections and return to a sense of normality. We know from our long history using play-based approaches in protracted and refugee settings, that play in crisis can facilitate healing, support children to develop adaptive skills and contribute to healthy relationships; it can also foster a sense of belonging, community and social cohesion. The games contained in this resource are focused specifically on developing a particular set of life skills, related to the COVID-19 crisis, that support children to stay healthy, stay active, take care of themselves and take care of one another, as well as skills for parents/caregivers.