PARENTS helping their children with learning at home are being urged to make time for essential daily play.
A new information sheet has highlighted the importance of taking part in regular, fun activities.
Most schools are closed for the rest of the academic year and the majority of young people are learning from home online.
Coronavirus - Play Matters More Than it Ever Did has been published by PlayBoard NI in cooperation with the Department of Education.
It aims to show teachers, parents and those offering care to children different ways they might provide quality opportunities and experiences.
The leaflet says that play is a fundamental part of childhood and is essential for healthy development and well-being.
It contains advice on a range of topics including outdoor activity, hygiene, storytelling, drawing and hobbies.
PlayBoard said coronavirus had changed everything including children's normal routines and access to their usual environments.
"Normally places of education and learning, schools have now been appropriated as places of care and safety for the families of essential front line key workers. So, for schools and for our children it isn't business as usual," it said.
"Regardless of the backdrop it is important to remember that children still want and need to play. Play and playing continues to be an essential aspect of children's lives.
"According to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, opportunities for play have a significant role in helping children recover a sense of normality and joy after their experience of loss, dislocation and trauma."
