Conference highlights the importance of play-based learning
The conference is aimed at shining light on the importance of play-based learning for child development.
In striving to advance the importance of play in the early learning and development of children in the country, this year’s South Africa National Conference on Play-Based Learning will take place at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways on February 21 to 22.
The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Early Learning and Development: Foundations for the Future through Partnerships on Play, Parents, Practice and Policy’.
The conference is co-hosted and a collaborative initiative of the Department of Basic Education, UNICEF, Cotlands, the LEGO Foundation, Sesame Workshop South Africa and HOPE Worldwide South Africa.
The primary objective of the conference is to delve into and promote the understanding of collective opportunities and responsibilities among parents, primary caregivers, early learning programs, researchers, academia, administrators, and policymakers to ensure that play-based learning takes a central role in facilitating young children’s early learning and development, both at home and in programmes, through training and policy support.
“Play-based learning has an essential role in children’s development as they grow and move through the world.
“By supporting their curiosity and encouraging them to explore, problem-solve, regulate their emotions and more, we build not only their sense of safety and trust but also empower them from a young age,” said Mari Payne, senior director of education and outreach at Sesame Workshop South Africa.
Established in 2016, the South Africa National Conference on Play-Based Learning is underpinned by the critical importance of the early years in laying essential foundations that influence the destiny of individuals, communities and nations.
“Over the years, national policies have highlighted the significance of parents and primary caregivers supporting their children’s early learning and development from birth. Parents can promote their children’s holistic development by playing with them, as research shows that children learn best through play.
“The conference seeks to draw attention to the benefits of play-based learning, which include, but are not limited to, developing children’s creativity and ability to be innovative, while also growing their problem-solving, linguistic, social and critical thinking skills.”
The event will feature various plenaries and related workshops, with sub-themes that will focus on a variety of topics.
These topics include the importance of parents including learning through play in their child-rearing practices, the determinants of quality early learning and development opportunities in the home and early learning programmes, and policy in early learning and development.
Dr Monica Stach, CEO of Cotlands, comments, “We at Cotlands are deeply committed to empowering parents and caregivers to prioritise play as a fundamental aspect of children’s development.
“Our advocacy campaign underscores the importance of creating meaningful moments for play within the home environment, fostering stronger bonds between parents and children while nurturing essential cognitive and social skills.
“Furthermore, we recognise the invaluable role of government institutions in promoting equitable access to educational toys and learning resources, such as the children’s section of public libraries. That is why we are dedicated to collaborating with government departments at the conference to determine how we ensure that families in our communities have convenient access to a diverse range of educational toys and play opportunities.
“Through collective action and focus, we can create a future where every child can thrive through play.”
The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, said: “The Department of Basic Education is thrilled to once again participate in the PLAY Conference. Our vision for ECD is that we want to provide universal access to quality ECD by 2030 by prioritising the most vulnerable children.
“With our dedicated partners, there is no doubt our continued collaboration will yield strengthened results which will advance the required early learning outcomes for young children, resulting in achieving our national goals and global commitments.”
The conference promises to offer a wealth of knowledge, insight and inspiration to identify innovative approaches and strategies that support effective play-based learning and development opportunities for all young children, whether at home or in a formal programme.
