Expanding Access to Outdoor Play for Young Children Through Partnership

Play isn't a luxury; it's fundamental for children to learn, grow and develop. Every child deserves the chance to run, jump, climb, balance, throw, catch and explore. Yet for many of the young children attending under-resourced ECD centres in South Africa, access to quality outdoor play equipment remains limited.

That's why the DO MORE FOUNDATION and Kids Collab are partnering to expand access to outdoor play for young children in 675 under-resourced ECD centres. Too often, play is viewed as a break from learning or a reward once the "real work" is done. But for young children, play is learning. It is one of the primary ways they make sense of the world, develop relationships, solve problems, and build the foundations for future learning and wellbeing.

Through its Play Parks programme, Kids Collab creates opportunities for children to participate in fun, professionally designed physical activity sessions that support gross motor development through play. The programme uses engaging games and movement activities to help children develop the foundational skills needed for lifelong learning, health and wellbeing.

Research consistently shows that outdoor play supports children's physical development by strengthening muscles, improving balance and coordination, developing spatial awareness and encouraging healthy movement habits from an early age. Beyond the physical benefits, outdoor play also nurtures problem-solving, creativity, confidence, emotional regulation and social skills as children learn to navigate challenges, collaborate with peers, and explore the world around them.

But equipment alone is not enough.

For outdoor play to have lasting impact, practitioners and caregivers need the confidence and skills to facilitate meaningful play experiences. Kids Collab's approach extends beyond providing opportunities for movement by equipping adults with practical strategies to guide and encourage play. Children are able to get the maximum developmental benefit from every game, obstacle course, relay race or imaginative outdoor adventure.

This thinking aligns closely with the DO MORE FOUNDATION's Mandela Day campaign, 67 Minutes of Play. While many children currently experience the joy of movement through Kids Collab Play Parks, the campaign aims to bring that opportunity closer to home by equipping 675 ECD centres with their own Move & Play kits.

Each kit-box is packed with practical resources - colourful cones, balls, beanbags, chalk, and a parachute - that enrich group play for up to 50 children. ECD practitioners are supported with printed guides, in-person training, and ongoing communication to help build children’s motor and cognitive skills through outdoor play.

This is a community-powered ecosystem that brings together donors, ECD practitioners, parents, development organisations and local partners around a shared goal: helping young children thrive.

When communities invest in play, they invest in healthy bodies, confident minds and brighter futures. And when children have the space, tools and support to move, explore and discover, they are free to do what they do best - learn through play.

To get involved in the DO MORE FOUNDATION's Mandela Day campaign, click here.