It’s absolutely important for children to play, and for parents to play with their children at home.
These were the words of Shannon Whitten, principal of Shannon’s Play School in Newlands, under the Play Sense umbrella.
She was speaking at the opening of the first Lego flagship store in the Waterfront on Thursday October 31. The new store – the sixth flagship store in South Africa, features hands-on play experiences, such as the Lego Build-a-Minifigure tower, allowing visitors to design and create unique Lego builds, the Pick a Brick wall and a life-size Lego structure of Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi, complete with his iconic number six Springbok jersey.
“The new Lego certified store in Cape Town underlines our commitment to South Africa and inviting more people into learning through play,” said Lego Middle East and Africa general manager, Kristian Imhof.
Ms Whitten said playing is important for all children, especially in the ECD sector in the under-6 years age group. “A child’s work is play,” she said.
“Doing an activity to play is able to teach them so much more. They learn technical skills, they learn social development skills – the whole child gets developed – socially emotionally, physically and it’s doing it in such a fun way.
“They are motivate and curious, they want to find out what’s going to happen.”
She said parents should make time to play with their children at home, as children learn important social cues from parents through playing, and it also creates a better bond between parents and children. “Playing at home with our child is also an extension of school but also in a much fun way.
“At home is their safe space. It’s where everything is going to fall down, and you can help them build back up.”
She urged parents to have some uninterrupted down time with their children, and join the child’s world. “Take some time toi focus on whatever you’re playing with. It doesn’t have to be a specific toy, it can be imaginary, but follow the child’s lead. It’s absolutely magical.
“We just watch the curiosity unfold and they will take it to the next level.”
Brent Hutcheson, director of Care for Education, which also encourages learning through play, said Lego play was one of the tools which encouraged creativity and problem-solving in children, “empowering them to explore, learn and unleash their imagination through simple, yet impactful play”.
He did some activities with the children using Lego bricks to demonstrate what playing teaches children. Some of the activities included building towers; throwing and catching bricks and twisting the bricks in their hands.
He said these type of exercises can help improve children’s motor skills and help them focus.
He added that it was important to teach children that deconstruction is as important as construction.
“It’s not the ability to build up but to break down. Deconstruction leads to a better understanding of what must change in order to get to where we want to go.
“With Lego we can build, but the important part is we can take it apart.”
