'Parent-child play can boost creativity, learning among children'

Parent-child play can boost creativity, learning and development among children aged three to eight years, reveal the findings of a programme implemented across nine communities in Delhi.

At a conference organised by the Sesame Workshop India Trust and the LEGO Foundation, speakers said the "Play Every Day" programme reached 2,000 families across nine low-resourced communities in Delhi between September and December 2018.

The intervention included play workshops with caregivers and children, community events like play fairs, street plays and using social media platforms.

The evaluation of the intervention found improvements in social development, creativity and other learning outcomes of the children and a shift in the perceptions of parents and caregivers about play and its role in promoting learning and development outcomes.

Children evaluated as part of the programme showed a 33 per cent shift in creativity for using recyclable items, including plastic bottle, cans and cardboard, to build or create something with them.

Caregivers evaluated as part of the programme showed increased understanding of connections between play and academic success, social development and higher creativity.

Sonali Khan, the managing director at Sesame Workshop India, said, "Our findings show how the intervention has been able to shift the attitude of caregivers towards play, boost creativity of the children significantly, which also impacts their skills like communication and problem solving.