Takalani Sesame held its second Regional Play Festival of the year in the Winnie Madikizela Mandela Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. 300 child-parent pairs participated in the event, which is one of three Regional Play Festivals being held as part of the brands ongoing efforts to promote the importance of play-based learning.

Today’s event was hosted in partnership with the Eastern Cape Department of Education with the aim of empowering local parents and caregivers with knowledge and skills to engage their children in playful activities that foster learning and creativity. The first of the series was held in Gauteng in September and the third instalment will take place in the Free State during November.

Play is a fundamental aspect of a child’s growth and development, and research has shown that play-based learning can have a positive impact on a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. By incorporating play into everyday routines, parents and caregivers can create opportunities for their children to learn and explore the world around them.

The Takalani Sesame Play Festivals Series for 2024 aims to harness the crucial role that parents and caregivers can play, in the home setting. This serves to support children’s learning through play and help them develop holistically and be better prepared for formal schooling in Grade R or Grade 1.

Mari Payne, Deputy Managing Director and Senior Director of Education and Outreach at Sesame Workshop International South Africa (SWISA) says that through these events, Takalani Sesame aims to engage with parents and caregivers directly, providing them with practical ideas and strategies to enhance their child’s learning through play.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the Gauteng, Free State, and Eastern Cape Departments of Education, the LEGO Foundation, and the Oak Foundation to bring this exciting series of play festivals to our communities,” said Payne. “Our goal is to create an environment where parents and caregivers can learn about the power of play-based learning, connect with other families, and have a lot of fun in the process,” Payne, added.

The Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) emphasises that play is not just a leisure activity but a fundamental part of early childhood education. ECDoE Director for ECD, Ms N.P. Chiliza says, “It is our honour to be partnering with Takalani Sesame on this initiative, bringing to the forefront the fundamental way in which children learn about the world around them.”

Highlights of the event in Bizana included the mini play workshops and play demonstrations with parents. Through these sessions, parents and caregivers had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of the newly launched Takalani Sesame WhatsApp chatbot. The chatbot provides literacy, numeracy, and general learning activities that families can continue to use after the festivals.

By participating in these play festivals, parents and caregivers have a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and exchange ideas with other parents, educators, and experts in the field of early childhood education. The festivals serve as platforms for sharing best practices, innovative ideas, and strategies for fostering learning through play.

The main portion of the event consisted of various interactive play stations, which were set up throughout the event space, allowing families to rotate through and engage in a variety of play-based learning activities. These play stations were designed and facilitated by the Takalani Sesame team, drawing on the beloved characters and educational content from the show.

Some examples of the play station activities include:

• Storytelling and literacy-focused stations held by Nal’ibali, where children can interact with age-appropriate storybooks and participate in interactive read-aloud sessions led by the facilitators.
• Numeracy and problem-solving stations, operated by Cotlands, featuring hands-on math games and activities.
• Creative expression stations managed by the TREE, where children can engage in arts and crafts, music, and imaginative play.
• Physical activity stations by Cotlands, encouraging gross motor skills development through movement-based games and challenges.
• Sensory exploration stations from The Unlimited Child and TREE, allowing children to engage their senses through tactile, auditory, and visual experiences.
• LEGO bricks station run by Sesame Workshop, where children can engage in creative and constructive play using LEGO bricks and sets, with support from the facilitators to guide learning through the building process.
• Active learning workshop facilitated by Impande to educate parents on the importance of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and how to actively support their child’s growth.
• Making toys from waste workshop held by Cotlands to engage families in a creative challenge to make educational toys from recycled materials, guided by facilitators throughout the design and construction process.
• National Parenting Programme workshop, facilitated by the Eastern Cape Department of Education, designed to provide parents with essential information on nurturing their children and ensuring that every child receives the best possible start in life.
• An interactive WhatsApp chatbot experience facilitated by Sesame Workshop for families to access educational content and activities to use post-event.

By offering a variety of interactive play stations, the Play Festivals provided a multifaceted, immersive learning experience that engaged children and parents/caregivers alike.

There was also a “community showcase” area, where local organisations and service providers related to early childhood education and family support set up information booths.

Payne explains the objectives of the series of events:

• increase confidence and skills of parents and caregivers in facilitating play-based learning activities that support their children’s holistic development and school readiness,
• improve the understanding among parents and caregivers of the educational value of play and its role in supporting children’s learning and development,
• and to introduce the Takalani Sesame WhatsApp chatbot so parents and caregivers can access information and support on play-based learning.

The next festival will take in Bloemfontein, Free State, on Saturday 23 November.

Parents and caregivers who attend the event experience the benefits of play-based learning firsthand, providing a valuable resource for those looking to enhance their child’s learning experience through play. They can engage with educational and fun activities, meet and interact with Takalani Sesame characters, and explore an exhibition of LEGO® bricks and Takalani Sesame play materials.