By Playeum Play is often thought of as something children do only after the “important” things are done, after school, after homework, after routines and responsibilities. A recent webinar, How Children Learn Best: The Science Behind Play, invited us to look at play differently. Rather than treating play as something separate from everyday life, the conversation opened up a more expansive view of where and how play can happen. Co-organised by the Centre for Holistic Initi

Reflections from our paper presentation at the Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association (PECERA) 2026 Conference By Playeum Kun Liang from the Playeum team presenting our ongoing research to an audience of local and international researchers, advocates, and practitioners in early childhood education at the PECERA 2026 Conference. (Photograph credit: Uno Lin) In 2025, we published an insight report documenting the voices of 201 children in Singapore and the issue

Playeum would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Nichol Ng as she steps down from her role as Board Chairperson and Board Director on 12 June 2026. We warmly welcome the return of Playeum’s Co-Founder Ms. Jennifer Loh as our Board Director and incoming Board Chairperson. Appreciation for Outgoing Board Chairperson Since joining the Board in 2023, Nichol has brought invaluable perspectives, strong leadership and a deep personal commitment to building a more equita

Play is how children participate. Through play, children make visible their ideas, feelings, hopes, and perspectives on the world around them. When we create opportunities for play, we create opportunities to listen. This International Day of Play, we invited 23 children to share the change they want to help create in Singapore and beyond. Through LEGO Build the Change, they expressed their hopes for a better future. Their ideas reminded us that children are not just benef

By Playeum What problems would you like to solve where you live? Nine-year-old Evan* and eight-year-old Hansel* could not stop thinking about the litter they saw around their neighbourhood. They noticed drink cups left on benches, tissue papers caught in bushes, and overflowing rubbish scattered near common spaces. They worried that much of it would eventually end up in the ocean. “If we throw rubbish in the ocean, the fishes will die (or get) sick. If the fishes die, we wi

By Playeum Children begin each new run of the Artful Play programme by creating a ‘Community Agreement’ together, discussing the behaviours they hope everyone will follow and writing them down as a shared reminder for the group. Imagine a red shipping container nestled among HDB flats. Through its door and glass panels, children gather around tables, sitting and standing, laughing and chatting as they work on their creations. Nearby, others sit on the floor, absorbed in drawi

By Playeum Through the KidSTART PowerUP Playtime play sessions, parents learn practical ways to support their children’s learning, creativity, and confidence through play. (Photo: Playeum) “What would you like your family to do when you wear your hat?” A chicken dance. A hug. These were some of the ideas children shared during a playful “Silly Hats” crafting activity at a parent–child play session. In these lighthearted moments, play opened up a safe space for children’s voic

By Playeum Children created a plan and model of their ideal home using paper, markers, loose materials, and LEGO bricks, including features they said were important, such as ‘a space to look out at the sky’. Image: Playeum “Not so much level, okay?” A boy studied the drawing of the house the children were designing and shook his head. “Can we build underground?” Another child paused. “Okay, but then we cannot see the sky. So let’s think about it.” Paper, colour markers, LEGO

By Playeum Play can open a window into a child’s world. By listening or looking closely, adults can discover what matters to them. How to support them is shown by Dr Esther Joosa (PhD) through her work leading our Open Minds, Open Doors (OMOD) community play programme. Today, we feature her interactions with nine-year-old John. While most children in the programme are non-verbal, John is not. On the contrary, he is vocal. He frequently relates how several years ago, he was di

By Playeum Across Asia, communities are reimagining what it means to truly support children’s growth and wellbeing. Play is increasingly recognised as a powerful pathway for learning, connection, and development. But meaningful and lasting change depends on more than just providing playful experiences for children. It also requires adults to reflect on how they see, support, and relate to the children in their lives. Our Executive Director Charlotte joined regional play advoc