Learn To Play - Ithute Go Tshameka

Happy International Mother Earth Day. At Learn To Play, we believe that caring for the planet starts with how we speak to children—and what we teach them to notice. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Earth Warriors Global , a playful climate education programme that helps children understand the world around them: why trees matter, what happens during a drought, and how to protect animals instead of harming them. Through our collaboration, children across Botswana in villages as far apart as Dukwi Refugee Camp, Kokotsha, Otse, and Kavimba are learning to ask thoughtful questions, recognise the signs of environmental change, and see themselves as part of a wider ecosystem. This Mother Earth Day, we celebrate our youngest climate champions—and the power of play to grow a more mindful, more connected future. #MotherEarthDay #EarthWarriors #LearnToPlay #ClimateEducation

🐣 Happy Easter from Learn To Play! 🐣 In Botswana, Easter is a time of togetherness, reflection, and renewal — much like the way children grow through play. 💫 This Easter, we’re celebrating the small miracles that bloom every day in our playgroups: 🌼 A child sharing for the first time 🌼 A mama feeling confident to lead within her community 🌼 A joyful laugh under the shade of a morula tree Easter reminds us that learning and healing happen in gentle moments — through connection, creativity, and care. Let’s hop into this new season with hope in our hearts and play in our pockets. Whether you’re painting eggs, telling stories by the fire, or simply enjoying time with family — we wish you a joyful, mindful Easter. 📸 Tag us in your Easter moments of play! #HappyEaster #EggsplorersAtPlay #HoppyToLearn

📢 We invite you to join us at the Spotlight session led by Learn To Play - Ithute Go Tshameka as they showcase The Mindful Way, a well-being curriculum designed to support the holistic development of children aged 3 to 6. 💡 This programme consists of structured 15-minute daily activities that seamlessly integrate into any early childhood environment. During this session, Learn to Play will practically demonstrate The Mindful Way activities; how they can be seamlessly implemented in diverse learning settings; and how your organisation can adopt and implement this programme to support young learners in developing essential life skills. 📅 Wednesday 23 April 2025 🕑 8.00am EST | 12.00pm GMT |3.00pm EAT | 5.30 pm IST 🔗 Register Here: https://lnkd.in/emXX5VtH #TheMindfulWay #EarlyYears

Is play really making a difference? We checked. Each year, we assess all our playgroups using our Play-Based Programme Assessment Tool—designed to track not just how children are learning, but how well our spaces, teaching, and support systems are working too. This year’s results? 🧠 93% of children met their early learning milestones. ♥️ Social-emotional learning rose from 33% to 92%. 📖 77% met their language and literacy milestones. 🧘🏽♀️ We’re seeing the impact of The Mindful Way, stronger teaching, and community-led care—rooted in purposeful play. 🙌🏽 And we’re not stopping there. From improving hygiene to deepening family engagement and child protection, this data is shaping our next steps, playgroup by playgroup. Children on the Edge University of Chichester #LearnToPlay #PlayBasedLearning #MindfulPlay #EarlyChildhoodMatters #ParentPlaybox #Botswana

Happy World Breathing Day Continuing with our April theme Egg-splorers at Play— Today’s focus: breath. Try Bunny Breathing with your little one: Sniff-sniff-sniff through the nose (like a bunny in spring), Then blow out slowly—like sending a dandelion floating through the air. A small exercise to support focus, calm, and play. #WorldBreathingDay #EggsplorersAtPlay #MindfulPlay #EarlyLearning #LearningThroughPlay #BunnyBreathing #PlayfulParenting

Next week, we’re taking the stage at the MadeinBotswana Expo to shine a light on the real drivers of our economy — the women at the grassroots, doing things differently. 🇧🇼 At Learn To Play, we’ve seen first-hand how courage, creativity and community can spark a movement. Every one of our Maatla Mamas — women who joined our play-based programmes — has risen above the poverty line. Not just surviving, but leading change. They are raising children, raising standards, and raising the future. And they’re doing it with play, power and purpose. 🎤 Join us at the panel on Women, Innovation & Creativity, and swing by our stall to see how Botswana’s boldest ideas are being built — one mama, one child, one village at a time. #MaatlaMama #LearnToPlay #MadeInBotswanaExpo #MIBE2025 #BotswanaWomen #TheFutureIsFemale #PlayForChange #GrassrootsLeadership

This week, we were in Oxford for Skoll — joining conversations about building a more mindful, inclusive, and playful world.We hosted a series of workshops and discussions at The Sidebar, focusing on mindfulness, early childhood, and the kind of leadership that starts from within. It was great to connect with others who care about young children, community-led solutions, and making space for play. #EggsplorersAtPlay #SkollWF #MindfulLeadership #EarlyChildhood

At Learn To Play, we believe that every child is a natural explorer — curious, capable, and eager to understand the world around them. “Eggsplorers at Play” is our Easter twist on this idea: a celebration of discovery, imagination, and learning through child-led exploration. Whether it’s cracking open new ideas, trying something for the first time, or navigating everyday experiences through play, children are constantly exploring. This theme captures those small but powerful moments of wonder — from sensory play and storytelling to nature walks and mindfulness. #EggsplorersAtPlay #LearnToPlay #PlayBasedLearning #MindfulPlay

We’re at Skoll Week from Tuesday to Friday — and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of the conversations shaping a more mindful, inclusive, and playful world. A huge thank you to TheSidebar for offering such a warm and open space to host our sessions — a space where community, well-being, and leadership are not just talked about, but felt. We’re hosting a series of discussions and workshops centring mindfulness, early childhood, and the kind of leadership that starts from the inside out. These sessions are open to all, and we’d love for our community of doers and donors to join us. Register at https://lnkd.in/dbvDeJhs Priyanka Handa Ram Eashwar Ramesh Seth Cochran #SkollWF #LearnToPlay #TheSideBar #MindfulLeadership #CommunityCentred #EarlyChildhood #WellbeingInAction

Play is essential for children’s development, but not every child has equal access. What do you think is the biggest barrier to play? Share your thoughts in the comments!