e-Bulletin for Parents - 23 April 2021

Parent Seminar on "Diligence brings rewards, but play also has benefits" (Conducted in Cantonese)

As parents, would you agree with the statement "diligence brings rewards, and play has no benefit" ? Is play a learning obstacle or a learning aid? In your daily life, do you play with your children? Are there any skills parents could use during parent-child play to facilitate children's learning and turn play into something beneficial?

Children love to play. They can derive pleasure, fun, a sense of success and experience through play with others, collaboration and imitation. Recent psychological research indicates that play plays an irreplaceable role in child development. Moreover, it is an effective way of learning that best suits the developmental characteristics of children. Play facilitates not only learning but also children's physical and psychological development. Learning through play helps children generate various ideas on their own, understand themselves, others and the environment, and develop the creativity, problem-solving skills and versatility. Play also helps children express emotions, build confidence and develop social skills. Therefore, play is an effective learning strategy provided that children's development and interests are addressed.

In this connection, the Education Bureau (EDB) has commissioned The Education University of Hong Kong to conduct a talk during which the speaker, Dr. Ian Lam Chun Bun, will introduce the characteristics of rough-and-tumble play, construction play, pretend play, and games with rules through a series of concrete examples, and explain the benefits of play in child development. The speaker will also demonstrate how parents can help their children derive more benefits from play by praising their children, reflecting what their children say, expanding their children's thoughts and ideas, describing their children's actions, imitating their children's behaviors, directing the attention of their children, and showing enthusiasm and positivity.

The above-mentioned seminar (Code: 2032) will be conducted in mid-May and the details will be announced later. Interested parents can visit the EDB's website on Parents' Talks (http://www.edb.gov.hk/parentstalks_tc) for seminar arrangements and enrolment details after 19 April 2021. Parents are most welcome to join!

The EDB's website on Parents' Talks
(Path: EDB Homepage > Students and Parents Related> Parents Related > Parents Talks)