Child Development and Early Learning
Learning Through Play
- Children learn best when they are playing!
- Through play, children learn problem solving, critical thinking, language skills, social skills and coping mechanisms.
- Learning through play start with parents at home where children play, learn and develop with the support of their parents, caregivers, older siblings and family members.
- Play should happen at homes, at ECD centers and pre-schools.
- Playing is great for learning and for the development of children with disabilities. It is an important tool to ensure that children with disabilities participate and are included in society.
- Early learning materials can be found at home and around the community. We can count beans with children, make traditional toys such as tin cars and dolls from makalani nuts, sing songs and play games that help children learn about colours, shapes and sizes.
ECD Centers
- Enrolling children at ECD centers allows them to develop their foundational skills in a social and structured environment.
- However, not all ECD centers are equal and parents should check to see if the ECD center is safe, clean and encourages play-based learning.
- ECD centers should be registered with the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare and should be in line with the National Standards for ECD Centers.
