Play is often recognised as a valuable and important part of early childhood however, it is not equally prioritised beyond this stage across education contexts. Play is recognised as important for all children in Article 31 of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of The Child (UN 1989): ‘States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.’ Drawing upon interdisciplinary approaches, this report advocates for the importance of play across childhood, across the lifespan and indeed play is understood as central to lifelong, lifewide learning, with a particular focus on this not only being a right of children, but also integral to the future-facing development of creativity and innovation in our changing society and economy. It is argued that play and playful learning opportunities equally hold value for practitioners, as lifelong learners, in order to build a sustainable and inclusive workforce (Jones and Strisino, 2021).Helen has over twenty years of experience in further and higher education prior to which, Helen worked in early childhood settings and as a private nanny with very young children. Helen’s teaching, research, and publications centre on early childhood and families, with a particular focus on the sociology of childhood, the social and cultural pressures in modern motherhood, and support for a critically reflective, graduate led early childhood workforce. Helen is Vice Chair (Policy, Lobbying and Advocacy: National and International) of the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN), Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Trustee Board Member for the Association of Infant Mental Health and Wellbeing (AIHM).