THE Penang government, in collaboration with the Whytehouse Education Group, will host the Unstructured Play Conference 2025 later this month to highlight the importance of child-led learning and play-based education.
State Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said the two-day event, to be held on Oct 25 and 26 at Chung Ling Private High School, aims to bring together educators, parents and community partners to reimagine how children learn and grow.
“The conference was born out of a simple yet powerful question — what happens when we stop controlling children’s play and start trusting it?” she said at a press conference in Komtar today.
Lim said that in today’s world, children’s lives are increasingly structured around schedules, homework, and screens, leaving little room for free play.
“Many are losing what we used to take for granted — the freedom to play. Research shows that unstructured play is vital for brain development, emotional regulation, and creativity,” she added.
The conference, themed “The Power of Unstructured Play: Child-Led Learning and Its Impact in Early Education,” will feature experts from China, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Among the presenters are Anji Play from China, a globally recognised model of child-led learning; OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) from the UK, which promotes play-rich school environments; and Malaysia’s own WePlay, rooted in local culture and community values.
She added that registration for the event has been encouraging, with participation from both local and international educators, parents and early childhood professionals.
Whytehouse Education Group director Jery Yeoh said the conference is designed to make play-based learning accessible to all, regardless of social background.
“The whole idea is not to sell fancy toys or equipment, but what matters is giving children the space and trust to explore,” he said.
Yeoh said about 100 teachers, caregivers and parents from Malaysia, Singapore and China are expected to take part in the event. The event will be held in a school hall instead of a hotel to keep costs low.
“We want to show that meaningful play doesn’t depend on resources or status. It’s about understanding that when children play, they’re actually learning mathematics, science and problem-solving without realising it,” he explained.
He added that early education should be regarded as a form of national service — shaping the next generation by nurturing creativity, confidence, and resilience from the earliest years.
Penang Women Development Corporation (PWDC) chief executive officer Datuk Ong Bee Leng welcomed the initiative, saying the conference would provide a valuable platform to promote fun-based education.
Also present were INTI International College Penang Continuous Learning Centre head Poh Wanyi and SEGi University & Colleges Management Office principal Leong Mi-Chelle.
Kindly refer to the below attachment for further details:
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting