Online Synchronous Course
Learning Through Play:
Building Competence and Skills of EXPERIENCED Early Childhood
Educators in Facilitating Play
Learn how to provide playful and engaging learning experiences for children to build 21st century skills and to develop reflective teaching practices in the classroom.
Overview
There is strong value in play to nurture 21st-century skills in young children, especially communication, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. In this online course, you will learn and apply theoretical and practical knowledge about the value and characteristics of play for young children of different age groups and stages of development. We will explore play-based strategies, activities, tools and resources that will help you to bring more playful learning into the classroom and to conduct play pedagogy observations.
Attention is given to the role of repurposed and natural materials as a medium for engagement. This course, based on Kolb’s model of reflective practices, will also introduce core principles and practices of reflective teaching for learning review, analysis, and evaluation. You will also have the opportunity to design and implement a playful learning approach in your own context.
During the course, you will meet other learners, share your ideas and contribute in active discussions. Learners will be supported by a trainer experienced in pedagogy of play and research, who will respond to questions and assignments on every step of the course. Learners who complete the course and pass the final assessment will receive certification of participation of 16 hours of professional development hours.
This workshop aligns with the Skills Framework for Early Childhood developed by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and Workforce Singapore (WSG). It incorporates international literature, the MOE Nurturing Early Years (NEL) framework, and the ECDA's Early Years Framework.
Who is this course for?
This course is primarily designed for early years and preschool educators and educarers in Singapore. The course will also be of interest to social workers, parents, and caregivers of young children.
*Please note that priority is given to ECDA-registered educators and educarers in Singapore.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
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Understand the historical evolution, values, and characteristics of play in contemporary society
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Explore various types of play and their significance in 21st-century learning environments
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Develop skills to facilitate play using natural or repurposed materials
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Adopt strategies to create environments conducive to children's active learning with consideration of their diverse developmental needs
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Apply observational and assessment skills to understand children's play and learning styles
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Develop learners’ stories that evidence the values of play processes and how they relate to key concepts of 21st-century skills
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Reflect on the changing landscape of childhood and apply play theories in pedagogical approaches
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Cultivate reflective practices and self-directed engagement through case studies
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Foster communities of practice through peer sharing and feedback
Course Trainer
Dr Esther Joosa (PhD)
Dr. Esther Joosa is the founder and director of an international arts education consultancy, Arts of the Earth Learning Hub. She possesses a keen interest in audience engagement, pedagogies in play, and space design for creative spaces and classrooms. As an active researcher and a member of AEA, ISCAR, and IASSIDD, Dr. Esther Joosa engages in international discussions about research and the role of people with disabilities and marginalized communities in the development of creative practices.
Dr Esther holds a PhD in Arts Education from the National Institute of Education, Singapore. In 2004, with her presentation "The Visual Arts: Opening Windows to the Contemporary World," she was the first arts-based researcher in Singapore advocating the opportunities of the arts for persons with disabilities. Her work has encompassed several unique projects, such as designing the standards for visual art in special education in Singapore, giving voice through art to mothers and children affected by HIV in India, curating "Deep Down," a global art exhibition of the art of persons with Down syndrome in Mexico, and "Open Minds, Open Doors: Creating Opportunities through Unstructured Play for Young Children with Disabilities”, a partnership with Playeum since 2019.
What Past Participants Said
The whole session was informative and applicable to my role as a teacher. Learning more about the importance of play in the development of the children and delving more into the different characteristics and value types of play was valuable too.
I feel like I learned a lot and it gave me lots of insights as well as in-depth understanding of play.
It really helped me to innovate more; using materials that we thought we could never use again.
I find play now as a great tool to get children to learn concepts, practise skills, collaborate and communicate with friends, and most especially to show empathy.
Course Dates for 2025
Run 1: 23, 25 June, 14 July 2025
Run 2: 25, 27 Aug, 15 Sept 2025
Run 3: 27, 29 Oct, 10 Nov 2025
Fee Details
Full Fee - SGD 560 (without GST)
Subsidies of up to 70% are available for eligible Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Permanent Residents (PRs) under the SkillsFuture Singapore grant. For details, please visit https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/funding-individuals.
ECDA course fee subsidy is available* for EC educators who are Non-Singapore Citizens, Non-Permanent Residents (Non-SCPRs), at 40% of course fees (without GST), capped at $140 per ECDA-endorsed course.
*Subject to the availability of funds and unless otherwise indicated on the One@ECDA portal
Registration
REGISTRATION OPENS SOON!
For ECDA-registered educators and educarers
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Please register for the course via the ONE@ECDA portal at least 14 days prior to the commencement of the selected course run.
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Payment will need to be made prior training commencement.
Course Name | Learning Through Play: Building Competence and Skills of Experienced Early Childhood Educators in Facilitating Play
Course Code | CPABCSE17E
For all other participants
Please email to alisa@playeum.com to indicate your interest and preferred course run.
Enquiry
Please email to Alisa at alisa@playeum.com, or reach out to us at 9726 4758.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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How do I check how much SkillsFuture Credits I have?
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Please log in to MySkillsFuture Portal using your Singpass or your FIN. Once logged in, you can view your available SkillsFuture Credit balance under ‘SkillsFuture Credit’.
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When will my SkillsFuture Credits expire?
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The original $500 SkillsFuture Credit that was provided in 2016 has no expiry date. Any unused SkillsFuture Credit provided as part of the one-off SkillsFuture Credit Top-up and Additional SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career Support) will expire on 31 December 2025.
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When must I submit my claim for SkillsFuture Credits?
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At the point of course registration, you should inform your Training Partner (Playeum) that you intend to use your SkillsFuture Credit in part or in full for the qualifying course fee. You should then submit your claim on the MySkillsFuture Portal within 60 days before the course start date (date inclusive).
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Please note that you can only submit claims for amounts that are less than or equal to your account balance, or equal to the full course fee, whichever is lower.
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