THE Penang government has launched a meaningful statewide initiative aimed at bringing the joy and importance of play back into children’s lives through the ‘Penang Goes WePlay’ campaign in collaboration with the WhyteHouse Education Group Sdn Bhd.
Announcing the initiative during a press conference at Komtar today, Penang Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said the month-long programme, which will take place throughout June, is designed to promote meaningful play as an essential part of childhood development.
Lim said conversations surrounding children today often revolve around education, academic achievement and performance, but stressed that play is equally important in helping children grow into well-rounded individuals.
“Play is not just about fun. It is how children learn, grow and understand the world around them,” she said.
However, she noted that many children today are spending more time on digital devices while facing mounting academic pressure, leaving them with fewer opportunities to engage in free and meaningful play in safe environments.
“At the same time, concerns surrounding children’s emotional wellbeing, confidence and social interaction are also becoming more apparent, making purposeful play more important than ever.
“In conjunction with the International Day of Play, the Penang government, through Lim’s office, will support the statewide celebration organised by WhyteHouse Education Group.
“Among the activities planned throughout June are the official state launch on June 6, play pop-up experiences at public spaces, toy-sharing initiatives, invited play sessions for kindergartens, as well as community play sessions involving children, parents and even grandparents,” she said.
Lim said the initiative is not merely about organising activities, but about building a culture where play is recognised as a crucial and valuable aspect of childhood.
“We hope this initiative will position Penang as a leading child-friendly state that values not only academic excellence, but also the emotional, social and developmental wellbeing of children,” she said.
She added that the state hopes to nurture future generations who are resilient, creative, confident and balanced.
According to Lim, the initiative has five key objectives such as raising awareness on the importance of play in child development, promoting play-based learning, encouraging participation from schools, families and communities, creating safer and more accessible opportunities for children to explore and interact, and strengthening collaboration between government, educational institutions and industry partners.
She said the programme would bring together schools, educators, families, communities and strategic partners to create more opportunities for children to experience meaningful and purposeful play while fostering stronger community involvement in child development.
“When children play, they develop their thinking skills, learn how to communicate and collaborate with others, build confidence, and grow physically and emotionally,” she said.
Lim also welcomed more partnerships and collaborations from various sectors interested in supporting the Penang government’s efforts in early childhood development.
“Together, let us build a stronger ecosystem that supports every child, because children deserve not only academic success, but also the opportunity to grow up happy, confident, creative and connected to their community,” she added.
Meanwhile, WhyteHouse Education Group founder and executive director Jery Yeoh said play has always been a central component of early childhood education and that the organisation has been championing the importance of play for many years.
He said the campaign aims to bring educators and parents together to better understand the role of play in child development.
“Play has been missing in early childhood education for many years because society has become too academically focused. We have spent years chasing academic results and paper qualifications.
“There is nothing wrong with academic achievement, but if we can first provide children with a stronger foundation emotionally, psychologically, physically and academically, that would be even better.
“There are many things children can achieve through play, and over the next one month, we want to show parents exactly how meaningful play can positively shape a child’s development,” Yeoh added.
Also present during the press conference were Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC) chief executive officer Datuk Ong Bee Leng and Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) Northern branch chairman Datuk Brian Tan Guan Hooi.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhammad Iqbal Hamdan