Bringing abstract concepts to life in the Northern Cape
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Care for Education (CFE), in collaboration with the Custoda Trust, is expanding learning through play opportunities in the Northern Cape. Excitement filled Delpoortshoop as a container carrying 600 DUPLO Play Boxes arrived, opening new possibilities for playful, hands-on learning experiences.
Custoda is a registered and accredited training and development service provider committed to making a difference in the Early Childhood Development space.
Manipulatives such as DUPLO support practitioners to learn by doing, equipping them to create rich and meaningful learning experiences for children while bridging the gap between theory and practice. Over three days, experienced NQF facilitators from Custoda had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of play alongside Care for Education.
Practical learning encourages active participation, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, transforming training sessions into engaging experiences rather than passive instruction. Bringing ECD NQF qualifications to life through practical activities allows facilitators and practitioners to experience learning in the same way young children do; through exploration, play, movement, creativity, and reflection.
In early childhood development training, qualifications become more than theory on paper when they are connected to meaningful, hands-on experiences. Practitioners deepen their understanding of child development concepts while building confidence in applying them in real classroom settings.
Manipulatives help turn learning into a concrete and meaningful experience. When children can touch, move, build, sort, and explore objects, previously difficult or abstract concepts become understandable. Children begin to see patterns, compare quantities, solve problems, and make connections using their senses and prior experiences. Manipulatives encourage curiosity, active participation, and deeper understanding while nurturing the joy of learning through play.
Feedback from participants focused on ‘aha’ moments of recognising the versatility of DUPLO elements and understanding how activities can enhance holistic development and all aspects of the daily programme. What was previously viewed as merely a toy had become a magical educational tool. Wishing Custoda facilitators all the best as they continue to truly impact Early Childhood Development and spread the message of the power of learning through play through the Northern Cape.
In the words of Maria Montessori:"Play is the work of the child."
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