Element of Play® is WWO’s trademarked program developed to support early childhood development, bring about psychosocial change and rehabilitate communities in areas of extreme poverty and disaster. Adverse childhood experiences cause trauma in children which often causes them to miss critical developmental milestones and creates lasting negative consequences in their lives. These developmental delays produce a cumulative effect on their communities.
What differentiates Element of Play® is our theory of change. True change happens when a community works together to care for one another. The key to this program’s success comes from our foundational premise – children thrive when the adults around them engage in the play, too. Element of Play® Learning Spaces bring trauma-informed, play-based programs to young children in preschools, community centers and hospitals.
WWO’s Element of Play® program goals include:
A strengthened relationship between adults and children
Improved developmental outcomes for children
Improved psychosocial wellbeing for both children and adults
Element of Play® at Home
To support our children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic, WWO developed an activity-based curriculum for each of our countries to roll-out at home.
Activities were selected based on:
An understanding that most of our families have limited resources and few toys in the household
A desire to strengthen the relationship between parent and child through short (20 minutes) structured and quality activities
Selection of play-based learning activities that promote early childhood development, including language, listening, math and problem-solving skills
Maintaining a routine in times of crisis is vital for children. This program consists of 20-minute play sessions that parents/caregivers can do with their children at home using very basic items: a pencil, some paper, a box of crayons or a deck of cards.
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS
BULGARIA
ETHIOPIA
HAITI
VIETNAM
