UNICEF urges play for children during the holidays

UNICEF Jamaica is urging families to make play a central part of recovery during the holiday season, noting that games and creative activities are vital for children’s emotional healing in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

“Play is powerful at all times but, in the aftermath of a crisis, it becomes even more critical,” the organisation said. Structured and unstructured play, it noted, provides safe spaces for children and adults to process emotions, reduce stress and restore a sense of normalcy.

Beyond emotional healing, play builds transferable life skills. “More time spent playing means more opportunities to imagine, explore choices and actively engage with the world, while building resilience, independence and confidence,” UNICEF Jamaica explained.

Activities such as storytelling, art and movement, it added, lay the groundwork for longer-term recovery.

For the holiday season, UNICEF is encouraging families to use simple activities such as storytelling circles, memory games with household items, nature scavenger hunts and cooperative group games to reconnect and support children’s well-being. Families can also access its game manual and resources via @unicefjamaica.

“In moments of uncertainty, play offers more than entertainment,” UNICEF said. “It is a simple, flexible approach that anyone can use, at any age, to create connection and hope.”

The appeal comes as Jamaica continues to grapple with the devastation left by the Category 5 storm. According to government figures, Melissa caused damage estimated at US$6 to 7 billion, destroying more than 116,000 buildings and crippling infrastructure across St Elizabeth, Manchester and Westmoreland.

UNICEF said that, immediately after emergencies, it and national partners deploy play-based psychosocial first-aid to help children express feelings they may not yet have words for, reconnect with peers, and rebuild confidence.

The organisation has worked for years with the Ministry of Education’s Guidance Unit and the Early Childhood Commission to embed play in classrooms and community spaces. Following Melissa, it continues to support teachers, counsellors and caregivers in the hardest-hit areas with low-cost play and learning approaches.