Research reveals that play is one of the most important ways in which young children gain essential knowledge and skills.
The Kenya National Library Services (KNLS), with support from World Vision Kenya, have launched a campaign to enhance children’s learning experience through play.
The Build a World of Play campaign will help children in Early Childhood develop a lifelong love for learning through integrated play-based activities in schools and learning forums.
“It will involve integrating play with learning and will help support the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in the Country,” a press statement explained.
The Sh3 million project, funded by the LEGO Foundation, is said to benefit over 6,000 learners, teachers, and close to 5,000 caregivers in Nairobi, Kakamega, and Narok, with plans to extend to other parts of Kenya.
Government and Education officials will also be engaged to help promote and implement play in learning.
World Vision Kenya Acting National Director Geoffrey Kativa said the power of play in improving learning outcomes among early learners was very effective.
“It will ensure that the value of play for children’s holistic development and learning is widely understood and enacted in early years’ education policies and reflected in resource allocations,” he said.
KNLS will leverage already established mobile libraries to promote literacy through play and reading in different spots across the country, through a Play-bus caravan targeting early learners, schools and parents.
Flagging off the play-bus caravan in Nairobi, Dr Charles Nzivo, Acting CEO, KNLS said the campaign resonates well with what they have been doing to promote reading among children.
“Through partnerships, the children’s sections in some libraries have been refurbished into colourful children's corners that are stocked with relevant learning materials including books, audiovisual content, educational games and toys,” he said.
The caravan hopes to bring out the fun in reading and playing activities on the roadside and in local schools to creatively engage early learners through play materials.
“We aim to boost literacy and numeracy skills, among other foundational concepts, which can be easily taught through play to children in grades 1 to 3,” Kativa said.
