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Learn To Play - Ithute Go Tshameka

Uplifting Africa Through Play

In Botswana, 75% of children lack access to early childhood education and 81% of households are women led, half of which are grappling with poverty. Our mission is to make mindful play-based early childhood education (ECE) accessible in Africa through playgroups, training and parenting programmes. Our two-generational approach improves ECE outcomes and family wellbeing, creating jobs for women.

HundrED 2022
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Overview

HundrED has selected this innovation to

HundrED 2022

HundrED 2021

Parental Engagement

Web presence

2017

Established

13K

Children

6

Countries
Target group
Community
Updated
October 2024
Our vision is to weave mindful play into the fabric of African early learning for every child on the continent despite their race, class, refugee status, geographical location or background. We're working with parents, community leaders, employers & educators to shape future generations on the African continent.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

In Botswana, 93% of children under the age of 5 do not have access to early learning & fail to reach their potential in cognitive development. Poverty, poor health and nutrition and lack of early stimulation holds them back. Priyanka founded LTP with the vision to ensure that access to high-quality early childhood education, that prioritises happy and healthy children, is a right not a luxury.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

LTP’s Mindful Way is central to every programme, taking a two-generational approach to ECE through Playgroups, Parent Playbox, and Educator Training. At the heart of all our programs is a commitment to nurturing the wellbeing of both children and caregivers through mindful practices and play-based learning.

Playgroups
Our playgroups offer a daily early learning programme led by trained mothers in their communities for children aged 2-5 to support their school readiness outcomes, with an emphasis on social and emotional learning through mindful play practices.

Parent Playbox
The Parent Playbox is a programme for caregivers and children aged 0-6 that equips them with resources, knowledge and confidence to engage in weekly play-based activities at home that foster early learning and family wellbeing.

The Mindful Way
LTP’s Mindful Way is Africa’s first mindful play programme with daily 15-minute SEL activities for children aged 3-6. The curriculum is designed to promote wellbeing.

How has it been spreading?

LTP works in 11 communities with 550 children and 35 Maatla Mamas daily. To achieve universal access to ECE in Botswana, we now work with 2 local governments to create champion districts with universal access to ECE. Recognising that the scalability of our innovation lies in our Mindful Way training and curriculum, these districts will serve as the case study for how we can leverage Learn To Play’s Mindful Way training and curriculum to improve quality and increase access across the continent in conjunction with our Parent Playbox. We know that partnerships are key to creating change, so we have delivered educator training and the Parent Playbox to ECD organisations across the continent impacting 150 educators working with over 10,000 children and 270 playboxes reaching 800 family members.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

For organisations who seek to strengthen their play-based programming, particularly in social & emotional development and mindful play, or have a guided approach to a home-based parenting programme that improves caregiver confidence for improved parent and child outcomes, Learn To Play offers training and a parenting solution for you. Contact us at priyanka@learntoplay.org to discuss your needs.

Impact & scalability

Impact & Scalability

Learn to Play is empowering communities by equipping mothers with the knowledge and skills to lead early childhood education lessons and help facilitate enriching play environments. This scalable model changes mindsets on education in lower income communities and empowers women in the community.

HundrED Academy Reviews

This seems highly effective and easily scalable. Empowering mothers to become engaged in their children's education from the beginning is an important way to ensure they continue to feel invested in their educational outcomes, and it seems the mothers here receive a lot of support to do this.

Establishing this innovation in disadvantaged communities where poverty is high and most children don’t have any exposure to early childhood education, is a brilliant idea. This innovation has a high potential to scale as it creates opportunities for children to learn about themselves.

- Academy member
Academy review results
Impact
Scalability
Exceptional
High
Moderate
Limited
Insufficient
Exceptional
High
Moderate
Limited
Insufficient
Read more about our selection process

Media

Exciting News from East Africa! We are excited to announce our partnership with Duara Education and Silverleaf Academy in East Africa! Through our Train-the-Trainer programme, these organisations are now licensed to implement the Parent Playbox and Mindful Way in their communities.
Partnered with Kids Collab to develop the Parent Playbox which enables caregivers to actively support their children's early years development and fosters positive parent-child relationships.
Breaking the Mould: Redefining Early Years Assessment with Play-Based Tools
A big highlight of 2022 was attending the HundrED summit in Helsinki, Finland. Priyanka presented a workshop on learning through play, with a special emphasis on our mindful play programme. We also got the chance to co-present with the wonderful people from BRAC Tanzania and Bangladesh, Susan Bipa and Mofakhkharul Islam. We are so grateful for this incredible experience!
We recently returned from an incredible week in Uganda with Children on the Edge Africa, where we trained 120 teachers on child protection, social & emotional development, mindful play, and creativity for young children. We're thrilled to be part of this incredible impact by partnering with Children On The Edge to nurture every child's wellbeing, giving them a happy and healthy start to life
D-Kar Training - In August 2022 we trained 7 teachers and 3 teacher's assistants in D'kar between Mosaico and the VDC school. In return, they impact over 120 children The Training covered the below modules: 1. Early Brain development through play 2. Motor skills 3. Let's play literacy 4. Let's play thinking skills 5. Mindful play 6. LEGO playbox
Mindful play - Developing our mindful play program for playgroups and educators has been a big highlight. The impact of mindfulness on children is powerful as it helps children calm their bodies and minds. This creates a positive and relaxed environment that can benefit behavior, communication, and emotional regulation.
Dukwi Refugee Camp - Launching and successfully operating a playgroup for refugees
Kavimba Centre 2022 also marked the launch of our early childhood education center in the Chobe Region.
The Parent Playbox 2022 marked the year we joined forces with the incredible team from Kids collab to create the powerful Parent Playbox. Each box is carefully curated with 24 activities to encourage positive parent and child relationships, improve parental engagement, stimulate healthy growth, and improve the quality of ECD at home. This means happier families and lifelong learning!
Dukwi Refugee Camp training
Yoga and mindfulness with mothers and children in an inner city park
Outdoor play with Mamas in Kavimba
Go Baby Go training and resources, contextualised and translated into Setswana for wider accessibility. 
Positive Parenting workshop in Kacgae, a San bushmen community in Botswana. 
COVID-19 Response: Home-Visits
COVID-19 Parenting Tips with University of Oxford and University of Cape Town
The Learn To Play team
Consortium of Pre-Primary Data and Measurement in Africa - Rwanda
Play-At-Home: COVID19 Response
Creating a play-based curriculum
Training over 80 early childhood teachers in rural Malawi
Mobile Mentoring: COVID19 Support to 200 families
Sustainable Play Kits as a COVID19 Response
Nature Play
Food security and sustainable entrepreneurship through organic vegetable farming
Ecostraws made by Mamapreneurs from the Chobe Floodplains
Clean water and hygiene interventions
Mamapreneurs getting certified in First Aid
Mamapreneurs in Six Bricks LEGO Training
Conservation & literacy through stories and hand-painted story-stones
Sustainable numeracy and cognitive development
Fine Motor Mats & Home-made Books
Sustainable Play in a San Bushmen Community
Learn To Play / Ithute Go Tshameka
Show more

Implementation steps

Support our work

Click here to donate now and be a part of our impactful work!

Partner with us

If you are interested in partnering with Learn To Play to implement our high-impact programmes in your context; receive our training; conduct research on early learning in impoverished communities; or provide employee provided childcare at your organisation, please get in touch with us at priyanka@learntoplay.org

Consult with us
We can add value to your early childhood programmes, provide parenting support and enhance your community work through our unique Learn to Play's Mindful Way training, Parent Playbox and Playgroups. Contact us on priyanka@learntoplay.org to find out how we can help you create a more playful, nurturing impact.

Spread of the innovation

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