With nearly 50 million children displaced by conflict and violence around the world, organizations are working to restore something often lost in war: the chance to play. For children like Hamza, a 10-year-old Palestinian boy living in a refugee camp in northern Lebanon, play has been a powerful tool for healing. Hamza once struggled with shyness and had never held a pencil or opened a book. But after joining the Enhancing Quality and Inclusive Education (EQIE) program run by the global NGO Right To Play, he began participating in group activities that helped him express his emotions through drawing, storytelling, and roleplay. Over time, his confidence grew, and he was able to write his own name and make friends. Today, he dreams of becoming a dentist and is actively engaged in his classroom. Play, in its many forms, is not just a pastime—it's a critical part of learning and emotional development, especially for children affected by war or displacement. Racha Nasreddine, country director for Lebanon at Right To Play, explains that play helps restore a sense of control and routine to children who have lost stability. “It’s about transferring knowledge in an interactive way and making the child an active participant in their learning,” she says. However, many displaced children lack access to safe spaces for play due to closed schools, limited green areas, and overcrowded living conditions. In response, organizations like Catalytic Action and Playrise are creating innovative play spaces tailored to the needs of children in crisis. Catalytic Action, for example, collaborates with local children to design playgrounds that reflect their visions and needs. In the Bersive refugee camp in Iraq, a co-designed playground features modular structures that serve multiple purposes, from play areas to seating. Similarly, Playrise, a UK-based charity, develops modular playgrounds that can be easily transported and adapted to different environments. These efforts aim to provide children with long-term, flexible spaces that can be adjusted as their needs change. Other groups are focusing on imaginative play, using storytelling and roleplay to help children process trauma. Palestine Play Projects, for example, works with displaced children in Gaza, using a “backpack of resources” to create temporary play spaces in refugee camps. Through activities like storytelling and roleplay, children are able to reframe their experiences and begin to heal. For some, like 11-year-old Yara, who lost her entire family in an attack, these sessions have marked a significant emotional turning point. While food and shelter remain essential, play is also vital for children’s mental health and development, offering them moments of normalcy in otherwise chaotic circumstances. As child psychotherapist Garry Landreth says, play is “the child’s language” — and without it, children lose their voice.