Author: Kearabetswe Nkadimeng

By Kearabetswe Nkadimeng and Onele Ramba In a cramped shack behind Sun City nursery school’s swings, 12 mothers sit in a circle laughing as their toddlers explore handmade toys on dusty floors. They’re learning something profound: that playing with children can change everything. Research shows that the first 1 000 days of a child’s life are critical for brain development and language acquisition. Young children require an environment rich in language and emotional responsiveness marked by love, affection and interaction, an environment Lebone Centre strives to achieve through its Playmat Project, which supports both mothers and children. The simple act…