A chance to Play – A manual Promoting Play for Children in South Africa

A chance to Play programme

Child-aid agency and long-term funder of children’s programmes in Southern Africa, terre des hommes Germany, began talking to its South African Partner agencies in 2007 about a programme that could capitalise on major soccer events in 2009 and 2010, and would have children and youth as its primary beneficiaries. Partner agencies were already involved in children’s programmes and saw a need to go beyond sports, to create opportunities for everyone in South Africa to play – and so the A Chance To Play programme was born.

This book is a play manual. It brings together play activities and ideas drawn from the experiences of people working with children in South Africa.

Part 1- Describes children’s right to play and looks at play rights in practice.

Part 2 - Offers many play activities to try out

Part 3 – Explores how we can enable ourselves to make play happen for and with children.

Realising the programme has been made possible through financial assistance from the Volkswagen Global Group Works Council, representing the employees of the Volkswagen Group, its brands and subsidiaries. For more than 10 years Volkwagen’s workforce has been donating money to support children in need.

In 2008, nine partner agencies in Limpompo, Gauteng and teh Eastern Cape began implementing A Chance To Play projects in their local areas, creating and influencing sporting and recreational development for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. As part of the plan for a sustainable intervention, Woz’obona (as one of partner agencies) proposed the publication of a play manual for carers of children, including parents and teachers, youth and adults, who could facilitate play with children. Woz’obona convened a publication development team and the process of dreaming, writing, editing, designing and publishing this play manual unfolded.

A chance to play is the first comprehensive play manual to be published in South Africa.

South Africa’s current challenges

In South Africa, many of our current generation of children have lost their opportunities to play. Poverty, violence and poor education continue to plague us as a country and these and other challenges, such as HIV/AIDS and rapid urbanisation, have had a negative impact on play opportunities for children. In fact, our children may be less likely to have the full range of play opportunities they need than did their parents and previous generations. Although most schools are better resourced, many teachers are still inadequately prepared for teaching and many do not have an understanding of how important play is, how it grows and develops children, and how it can be used as an important tool in education.

HIV/AIDS, in particular, has had a negative impact on children’s lives, both for children who are living with HIV/AIDS and for those who have lost important adults in their lives, including parents. As fewer adults are caring for more children, adults are less able to ensure that children’s rights are fulfilled – including the right to play. Many children have to assume adult roles and responsibilities in relation to their families and households, and this leaves little time for schoolwork and even less for play.

For many, basic needs are unmet. When this happens it is even more likely that play is seen as a luxury rather than as a fundamental right. Yet all children need play; play can help them to be children again, to feel the freedom of exploring and discovering, to perhaps act out some of the frustration, sadness or anger they feel, and to put aside for a time the burdens they carry.

All of us have a vital role to play in children’s lives – all of us can play, and all of us can teach other how to play. Using play with children can help us understand the challenges they face, and play can help to address those issues. Play can unlock powerful memories of good times, it renews our energy (physical, social, emotional, spiritual), it encourages creativity and creative thinking, and it lifts us out of our everyday realms of possibility.

Children are our hope for a brighter future and a better South Africa. By creating spaces and opportunities for children to play, we can all contribute to a healthier, happier, more energetic nation.

Written by: Janet Prest Talbot (Children’s Rights Centre) and Lucy Thornton (Woz’obona)