Child’s Play

“Play is our brain’s favourite way of learning.” – Diane Ackerman

If these words are true – and many experts confirm this to be the case, then many children in South Africa who do not have access to toys may be missing out on an integral part of their development. Thankfully Cotlands appreciates the importance of play, and wants to ensure that play is a right, not a privilege reserved for a few.

A solution to address this need for play time and toys needs to take a multitude of considerations into account. This is why Cotlands mobile toy library is a concept so well-suited to the need it seeks to address. The toy library serves communities where children do not have access to learning. Two hour-long play sessions are conducted in two different communities per day. According to Cotlands, “the parents saw change in children as they were able to count, name colours, name shapes and development of the children’s language.”

Cotlands toy library staff were also able to encourage community members to open early childhood development (ECD) centres, and support them in this process. Once these ECD centres were open, Cotlands offered support by lending toys to them. Cotlands also equipped ECD practitioners with the knowledge to make playtimes as fruitful as possible, and ensure that children learnt as much as they could during this time.

We’re excited to be partnering with Cotlands to support a toy library in and around the area of Hlabisa, in Northern KwaZulu-Natal. Go here if you’d like to know more.