Youngsters are happy to be on the ‘Slippery Slope’

A Junk Art competition tested the children’s creativity as they made use of scrap materials to create various monsters, animals and pictures which were all proudly taken home to adorn various walls and shelves.

More cardboard boxes and lengths of material were put to good use in the sports hall, creating huts and hideaways where their adventures were played out with plenty of energy and noise.

By popular vote, the highlight of the afternoon was the outdoor Slippery Slope – a huge sheet of heavy-duty plastic covered with washing-up liquid and lots of water; a running dive along the slope resulted in sodden clothes and howls of laughter as even more water descended on them courtesy of YMCA staff.

A change of clothes and hot chocolate rounded of an action-packed afternoon of crazy enjoyable fun.

National Play Day is an annual event, promoting the importance and value of play, making use of whatever resources are available and encouraging children (and parents) to use their imagination and have fun. National Play Day is promoted in Northern Ireland by PlayBoard, who work to develop and promote play by providing training, advice and play ideas to those working with children and young people.