By Ruvesen Naidoo
A new event known as ‘Play With Your Food’ wants families who do not know each other to host meals where the children and parents play together as they eat.
‘Play With Your Food’ was launched recently by OpenSeat in collaboration with ChangeX and the Lego Foundation and aims to make mealtime a more enjoyable activity for kids and parents through the use of games and play. OpenSeat is an interesting web platform that allows hosts to warmly invite unfamiliar faces into their homes for dinner, at a fee, with at least one Makhandan signing up to host a meal in recent months.
The ‘Play With Your Food’ event series focuses on OpenSeat’s belief that there is transformative power in communal dining and creating meaningful connections among individuals. The platform firmly believes that mealtimes are about more than just eating, and are invaluable opportunities to reconnect with loved ones, unleash creativity, and facilitate learning.
The organisation says the heart of their new venture lies in the search for potential hosts, who need not be parents themselves but can graciously host delightful meals for families within their local communities. Hosts of ‘Play With Your Food’ can self-fund their dinner parties, or charge guests a fee. For a limited period, those wanting to host an event can apply here for an R2000 grant from ChangeX. By opening their doors to others, these hosts play an important role in creating an inviting environment where the magic of shared experiences comes to life, OpenSeat says, adding that hosts are also welcome to use food props or non-food props such as toys during the dinner.
The dinners are meant to be a screen-free zone, ensuring that the ‘Play with Your Food’ experience remains truly immersive and enriching for all those involved. Hosts are encouraged to engage with their community’s dietary preferences, cultural influences, and special considerations. Callum Oberholzer, co-founder of Openseat says he is “incredibly happy” to see Play With Your Food becoming a reality.
“It excites us because it caters to a variety of creative expressions that allow for parents and children to connect in intimate yet fun environments, free of screens and the busyness of everyday life, focussing their attention on one another through play and time together,” Oberholzer says.
Think you are both a creative cook and humble host in Makhanda? Check out https://www.changex.org/za/play-with-your-food/info for more information on the event.
