Welcome to PLAY and the Powerful Learning Around You!

We’re training 150 000 Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners, Grade R & Foundation Phase educators across South Africa on play-based learning.

PLAY is a FREE in-service training course that complements existing and formal training. It is not intended to replace educational training but qualifies the participant for the 15 CPD credits as set out by the South African Council for Educators in terms of section 5(b) of the South African Council for Educators Act 31 of 2000.

You complete the training at your own pace and during times that work best for you. The course only requires 2 dedicated hours a week from you.

How the programme works: The course starts immediately after you Register on this site. You will also have the opportunity to book for a support workshop if you experience any difficulties.

All of the training happens right here on this platform. You will be guided to complete a series of sessions for each of the course options. The courses are designed for practitioners, teachers, childminders, day mothers, playgroup facilitators or anyone who implements programmes for babies and young children in South Africa. The course sessions include videos, images, reading, tasks, evaluation and reflection activities.

After every completed session, you will receive an email with more PLAY ideas and helpful resources. You will receive a certificate after completing the training course with credits.

Partners

PLAY is a partnership between the Department of Basic Education, UNICEF, Cotlands and the LEGO Foundation.

About Cotlands

Cotlands is a non-profit early childhood development organisation addressing the education and social crisis by establishing early learning playgroups and toy libraries in under-resourced communities to serve vulnerable children aged birth to six.  For more information about Cotlands visit: www.cotlands.org.za

About the Department of Basic Education

The Department of Basic Education deals with all schools from Grade R to Grade 12, including adult literacy programmes. The aim of the Department of Basic Education is to develop, maintain and support a South African school education system for the 21st century. The Department of Basic Education aims to improve early childhood development through the improvement of the quality of early childhood development and universalise access to Grade R. For more information about the Department of Basic Education visit: www.education.gov.za

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND COMPLETE THE COURSE 

Sources Consulted

Birth – 2 years:

1,000 Days. [Website]. Available at: thousanddays.org.

BabyGym. [Website]. Available at: babygym.co.za.

Department of Social Development – Republic of South Africa and UNICEF. 2006. Guidelines for Early Childhood Development Services. [Online]. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/SAF_resources_ecdguidlines.pdf.

Department of Basic Education – Republic of South Africa and UNICEF. 2009. National Early Learning and Development Standards for Children from Birth to Four Years (NELDS). [Online]. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/resources_16275.html.

Department of Basic Education – Republic of South Africa and UNICEF. 2015. The South African National Curriculum Framework for Children From Birth to Four: Comprehensive Version. [Online]. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/SAF_resources_ncfcomprehensive.pdf.

Dr. De Jager, M. 2009. BabyGym, Brain and Body Gym for Babies – building a better brain through play. 2nd ed. Welgemoed: Metz Press.

Flip My Center. [s.a.]. Classroom Layout. [Pinterest board]. Available at: https://za.pinterest.com/flipmycenter/classroom-layout/.

PlaygroundEquipment.com. [s.a.]. The Ultimate Playlist: 50 Reasons to Believe in the Power of Play. [Online]. Available at: https://www.playgroundequipment.com/the-ultimate-playlist-50-reasons-to-believe-in-the-power-of-play/.