Playmaker Studios creates local, high quality, children's digital content for children 2 - 8 years old across French speaking West Africa. Our three programs are Rama and Aicha, an animated program teaching children problem solving skills; Xam Xam, an early learning science program and Jang! a program teaching children vocabulary, colors and early mathematics. With limited access to quality preschool programs, Playmaker Studios supports the acquisition of key skills for a lifetime of learning
West Africa accounts for one-third of the global total of primary school age children and according to UNICEF, only one in four children in the region has access to early childhood learning, care, and stimulation. Children start first grade at a disadvantage, not ready for the demands of primary education. With limited access to quality preschool, the reluctance of parents to put their children in preschool, the acquisition of key skills for lifetime of learning are at risk.
Playmaker Studios was created during th COVID-19 pandemic to respond to the lack of national programming addressing the particular learning needs of young children. Television has been proven to meet close to 80% of the school ready population, particularly when used in a blended learning program that includes other media. The digital programming available from Playmaker Studios uses tv, radio and low bandwith internet options to reach children and parents with learning content.
Playmaker Studios looks to bring its blended learning approach Long term blended learning programs to over 2 million children in the region to substantially reduce the negative impact an absence of quality pre-primary environments can have on a child's cognitive, social and emotional development growth, school readiness and future economic potential. Leveraging mass media and digital platforms helps the project to scale quickly from country to country.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
