By Pooja Saiya | Report Writer
Children experience poverty in multidimensional ways, beyond economic parameters. When they lack playfulness and joyfulness in childhood ecosystems, it disrupts developmental milestones and risks maladjusted adulthood. The marginalisation of children is made acute when they belong to at-risk families or communities. The decline of schools further aggravates this problem. According to the economic survey of Maharashtra for 2022-23, as many as 643 primary schools have been shut down between 2019 till 2022.
While our Constitution assures children of their right to education, health and protection, another basic right — Right to Play — remains unrecognised, undervalued and unadopted.
India’s National Education Policy 2020 grants that no child loses any opportunity to learn and excel due to circumstances of birth or background. As part of the revised policy, there is an increased emphasis on play/activity-based learning at the foundational stage of education, something that is now missing in government schools.
Toybank - Development Through Play’s programmes look at play-based learning holistically. The programmes are structured in a way that focuses on developing the skills of students and teachers. The children are provided access to carefully curated play material and play sessions, thus enabling a happier and safe space for them to learn.
We have been delivering our Play2Learn programme to 75,000 children through 582 Play2Learn Centres across seven districts of Maharashtra.
We are happy to share updates of the work brought together by the Toybank team across Maharashtra, with your support. We look forward to continuing to create safe, happy learning spaces with opportunities for them to learn and holistically develop through Play!
1. Capacity Building Sessions for Programme Team
Ahead of a new school year, Toybank conducted a series of training sessions with the programme outreach team to refresh their knowledge of play and its importance in play-based learning. The objective was to help them understand the structure of play sessions, and the indicators of play (choice, wonder and delight), which in turn allows them to better understand how children are responding to the play sessions they conduct. The training also included activities, which informed them about the different forms of play, and its characteristics.
2. 3,157 Play2Learn sessions were conducted by our Programme Team and Play Centre Facilitators (PCF)
Toybank’s Play2Learn centres are safe spaces for children to engage in developmentally appropriate play sessions. Play is the primary way in which children explore a world that is not in their control. At these Play2Learn sessions, children engage with games, toys and play-based activities, using innovative facilitation techniques by our Programme Officers and partner teachers. These games, toys and activities are chosen strategically to help children build various skills, including cognitive and interpersonal skills.
“Toybank’s play sessions and games have been beneficial to children’s overall development. Games such as Multiplica help them build mental Math skills, different puzzles inculcate values of patience and team-building skills. Because of these play sessions, children have become curious and also attend school regularly,” shared Principal from Mumbai Public School, Poonam Nagar, Jogeshwari.
“I had fun playing games such as Discover India and solving the puzzle of the Indian map. I gained knowledge of the states I was not familiar with, and it also helped me learn about my country, said,” shared a student from Ashadeep.
3. Replacement of 4,343 Games across 181 Play2Learn Centres:
The programme team conducted stock and quality checks at the Play2Learn centres and initiated the process of restocking the games and play material at 181 centres. The team ensures that children have access to not just age appropriate and category-wise games, but also that these games are in good condition. This also allows the PCFs and programme team to conduct play sessions smoothly.
4. Between April-August 2023, we conducted 43 Power of Play Workshops for 789 teachers across Maharashtra to,
5. Teacher Testimonials:
“Children are always looking forward to the play sessions when school reopens. Discover India is a game that actively involves children in a group. Through the game, they learn about geography and are able to locate the states. They also try to identify the states they belong from. These games build curiosity among children,” said a teacher from RH Kate school, Govandi, Mumbai Play2Learn center.
“The Mechanix game is every student’s favourite here. The game allows children to enhance their creativity, as they are free to create objects of their imagination. This, in turn, spreads joy and happiness in our children’s lives,” said a teacher at ZPPS Sevadas Nagar, Latur.
“During our training, we learned new games that are very engaging and helpful for children. We also give children time to play games by themselves and have observed that games such as memory skills enhance their thinking ability and critical thinking skills,” shared the Principal Incharge of Mumbai Public School Bhavani Shankar (CBSE), Play2Learn centre.
Story of Change: How solving puzzles during play sessions helped Jatin build confidence
Jatin (name changed) belongs to the MHB Gujarati School in Mumbai’s Malvani area. During one of the visits, his class teacher told the programme officer that Jatin does not engage with other children, nor participates in activities, and is usually by himself.
Following this, the programme officer asked him his hobbies and what activities he liked. When Jatin mentioned that he liked to draw, the programme officer handed him the required material and let him draw, instead of asking him to join group activities. The programme officer then asked the teacher to allow Jatin to participate in activities he likes so he would be comfortable.
In the next play session, Jatin was asked to solve a puzzle and on completion, it made him happy. After this, the programme officer gave him a more challenging puzzle and Jatin could solve that, too. Now, he actively participates in group activities and is also active in class.
Toybank’s programmes focus on providing children access to carefully curated play material and play sessions, with a key focus to increase their access to Conscious Play™.
—Story shared by the Programme Officer in-charge of MHB Gujarati School, Malvani.
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