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About Us

Play Matters  >   About Us

Founded in 1973, Play Matters Australia supports children and families to build relationships, skills, and confidence through play. We are a national organisation with staff in every state and territory in Australia.

Sing&Grow

Our Organisation


Operating for over 50 years, Play Matters Australia aims to provide children with the best start to life by empowering parents and carers with the skills and confidence to guide and support their children's development through the fundamental act of play. All children have the right to play as stated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 31.

Play Matters Australia’s ethos of recognising parents and carers as a child’s first teacher is embedded in our organisation's theory of change and underpins our programs, service design and delivery. We know that the first 1000 days are critical to a child’s development. A child’s successful attachment to parents and carers lays down the neurological foundations for lifelong learning.

Our Vision: Playful Connected Communities

Our Purpose: Enriching lives through the power of 
connection and play

Our Values

Creativity and fun

Collaboration

Inclusivity

Contemporary practice

Accountability

Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan

HISTORY (4)

Our History

Sing and Grow

Annual Reports

Our Brand

Our Brand

PLAY MATTERS (99)

Why Play Matters

Play truly matters in developing resilient children and families to ensure health and wellbeing for their whole life. Play is how children learn and grow and is a key element of early childhood development. It provides a foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing.  

“Play is the beginning of knowledge”

George Dorsey