Play time is vital for kids

Play is not a waste of time for kids - social entrepreneur Sumitra Pasupathy never tires of sharing this piece of parenting advice.

In fact, the Cambridge-educated chemical engineer believes so strongly in it, she co-founded Playeum in 2008 to advocate for more play among children.

Among other things, the non-profit group holds activities for kids to encourage hands-on exploration.

She says it is common for parents to think that "playtime should not be prioritised in their child's day unless something else gets done first".

More often than not, this means doing assessment books and going for tuition classes.

"Play is just as important as any other task. It's a time where they learn," says the 48-year-old mum of three boys aged nine, 14 and 16.

When kids are playing, they are taking creative risks and solving problems. If they are in groups, they also learn to develop empathy and work in teams.

These skills and qualities have become all the more important, even for adults, in today's rapidly changing world.

"It's no longer 'What was your maths score?', but 'Can you respond to change? Are you solving problems?'" she says.

She adds that some technology companies are embracing playfulness too, with foosball tables in fun workspaces.

"We, as adults, need to be more playful too. I have to remind myself about that all the time because I get so busy with work," she says with a laugh.

"Play is a wonderful way to connect with your kids when you're playing together."

Give your children open-ended play opportunities and let them take ownership of the experiences.

For example, she suggests giving them Lego bricks to create designs from their imagination, instead of building a structure according to the instruction booklet.

You can also give them cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls, bottle caps and other recyclable everyday items. With some colouring and creativity, these can transform into a man, a whale or a Christmas tree.

Kids are spending more time playing, but on digital devices and at an earlier age, she acknowledges.

Besides making screen-time agreements with their sons, she and her husband try to model good practices, such as no phones at the dinner table and in bedrooms.

"Your phone should not be the first thing you look at when you wake up," she says, adding concerns about addiction and cyber bullying. "We need to help our children make the right choices for their well-being."

But there is no need to overplan for them during the school holidays.

"Give your children time to be bored, to tinker, to daydream and to do things that may not always be productive, but could be very creative," says Ms Pasupathy.

Playeum runs free makers' activities for kids aged three and above on weekends from 3 to 6pm at Our Tampines Hub, its current pop-up event venue.

It closed its exhibition space at Gillman Barracks this year and is continuing its work as a charity at Common Ground in Bedok.

In partnership with the Centre for Fathering, Playeum is inviting families to play, cook and raise funds in a live online event on Dec 20. For details, go to www.playeum.com