13 Jun 2024

Play is a critical component of early childhood development because it lays the foundation for lifelong learning, behaviour and health, UNICEF Education Specialist, Ms Leseka Mukokomani has said.

Speaking during the International Day of Play in Gaborone on Tuesday, she said it was important to ensure that every child, regardless of where they lived and which community they came from, had the opportunity to reach their full potential through play.

“Neuroscience has shown us that the brain develops most rapidly in the early years, and the quality of a child’s environment and experiences during this period is pivotal,” she said.

Ms Mukokomani said play was a critical part of development especially child development, adding that every experiences in a child’s formative years, including play and play-based learning, were building blocks for their future.

Highlighting reasons why early childhood development through play was critical, she mentioned among others that it was a foundation for lifelong learning. “Through play, children develop essential cognitive, physical, creative, social, and emotional skills necessary to navigate and flourish in our rapidly changing world,” she said.

She said experiences during that time laid the groundwork for cognitive functions such as language, memory, and problem-solving.

Ms Mukokomani also said play fostered social and emotional development, saying early interactions with caregivers, peers, and the environment significantly influenced a child’s social and emotional skills.

She said they would then be able to form healthy relationships, regulate emotions, and develop empathy.

She further said play nurtured physical health development that could prevent or mitigate health issues, ensuring children grow up healthy and strong.

Ms Mukokomani reaffirmed UNICEF commitment to ensuring that every child could thrive, adding that they were dedicated to supporting initiatives promoting early childhood development through play.

Deputy Representative UNICEF, Ms Alexandra Illmer said the day marked a significant milestone in collective efforts to preserve, promote, and prioritise play, ensuring children, reap its profound rewards and thrive to their full potential.

She reiterated that there was “power of play” adding that play was not merely a pastime, but the foundation upon which healthy childhood development was built.
“Play creates powerful learning opportunities across all areas of development, be it intellectual, social, emotional, and physical,” she said.

Furthermore she said through play, children, forged connections with others, built a wide range of leadership skills, develop resilience, navigate relationships and social challenges as well as conquer their fears.

She said when children play, they feel safe and use play to make sense of the world around them.

She also said play provided a platform for children to express and develop their imagination and creativity, critical skills in the technology-driven and innovative world.

Ms Illmer said in educational settings, play-based learning had been recognised as an effective approach to actively engage students in the learning process, as it transformed learning into a more enjoyable and relevant experience, enhancing both motivation and retention of information.

She said play was enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, under Article 31, which acknowledged play as a fundamental right of every child.

The International Day of Play created a unifying moment and calls for policies, training, and funding to integrate play into educational and community settings worldwide. ENDS