Mom Bloggers for Play Pilipinas

‘Play’ includes activities of children that are not controlled by adults and that do not necessarily
conform to any rules. Source

Play Pilipinas will be the country's first Play Festival. It's happening in October 21-23, 2011 and I just really can't wait!

But wait... I must tell you first that Play Universal, in a drive to promote its Active Play movement and Play Pilipinas, has invited mom bloggers for lunch. Unfortunately, only three of us were able to come. It was still great though because we managed to really interact. Leirs, Joey and I all have two kids each... but Ms. Sigrid has eight (all age ten and below) so it made for a really interesting exchange. And yes, I was texting my friend Laya about how Ms. Sigrid can manage her legion and still establish Play Universal and manage Project Brave Kids so we (laya and I) should stop ranting, haha.



Free and active play, a basic right for kids, is now being hindered by the following:
1) Adults that are unaware of the importance of play and parents themselves restricting play opportunities
2) Unsafe environments and limited play space, especially for children growing up in the city
3) Parents' Fears, that can run the gamut of social (bullying) to physical (germs, falls
4) Inadequate play policies (like barangays will construct a basketball court that may only benefit big kids, or construct playgrounds that are generic but don't really promote active play)
5) Excessive pressure for educational achievement and lack of provisions for play in school
6) Structured, programmed leisure time (play that is generally free of rules actually help facilitate better IQ and EQ)
7) Technology and the commercialization of play (e.g. instead of using their imagination with boxes and plastic containers, little girls now need miniature play kitchens and boys are hunched over gadgets instead of jumping off beds)
8) Marginalization (girls aren't encouraged to climb walls; the poor don't really have playgrounds)

So, yes... it was a very informative, however brief, encounter.

Needless to say... I am looking forward to Play Pilipinas (details of the play festival here). I don't have the P15k for the 3-day conference (and the topics, though interesting, are really targeted for academe people) but I might be forced to come up with the P3k or so for at least one of their mini workshops. I'm thinking, the one on traditional Filipino games. They're also considering a mini workshop for Play and Special Needs Kids.

The 3-day forum will cost P10,500 only and the mini-workshops P1k, thanks to more sponsors for the event.

But I am really excited about the playground installations they will be setting up (winning designs from the playground design competition) because kids will be able to move from one setup to another. And this won't be the generic slides and swings!

And then there will be the fairs on toys, books and magazines, nutrition, fashion, school and world toys. Like I told hubs, it might end up as a major shopping spree for me, haha.

Play Pilipinas is happening on October 21-23, 2011 at the SMX Convention Center. For more information and inquiries, just contact:
Play Universal Co.
9F Pacific Center, 33 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Telefax: +63 634 0416
Email: playnow@playpilipinas.com
http://playpilipinas.org/

I think this is a perfect venue for a grand EB and playdate, haha!