Waste2Toys Early Childhood Education Workshops
Singakwenza runs a series of workshops teaching caregivers, parents and educators how they can develop foundational skills in their young children to prepare them for formal education, and how to make a variety of toys to strengthen and develop these skills.
- They learn why learning through play is so important, and how to make toys and learning materials out of recycling.
- They take home numerous “toys” that they have made for their children to play with. And if the toy breaks, it is easy (and free!) to make another one.
80% of a child’s brain potential, upon which all further learning is built, is developed before the age of 4. It is therefore vitally important for children to have as many opportunities to learn as possible. So many young children in our country (our future engineers, doctors, teachers…) spend most of their days in a barren room and an empty playground, as their parents, educators and caregivers are unaware of the importance of providing opportunities for purposeful play in the early years. In addition, the high cost of educational toys makes them unavailable to homes, crèches and schools with limited financial resources. Children who should be actively learning through play are restricted to reciting the alphabet, the days of the week, the months of the year – meaningless repetition in hope that they will “pass” Grade 1.
Participants are provided with a pair of scissors, a marker pen and a handout – all other materials needed to provide an educational, fun-filled environment for the children in their care come from the bin!
- Bread bags become skipping ropes
- Polystyrene vegetable trays become puzzles
- Yoghurt containers become shape sorters and
- Cereal boxes become maths games.
- Packaging normally thrown away now has a value for both adults and children, so the programme is good for the environment too.
COST for a 3 hour workshop – R3 000 for up to 30 people, and R100 per head thereafter (Minimum 15 and maximum 40 participants).
VENUE would need to be arranged, preferably where delegates can sit around tables.
DATES– Singakwenza will be in Cape Town during the week 10 to 14 June 2019.
For more information or to organise a workshop please contact:
Linda Hill
Project Coordinator and Fundraiser
082 321 1283
033 343 1650
www.instagram.com/@singakwenza_ecd