More can be done to encourage education through outdoor play

Olivia Siong Channel NewsAsia 14 Apr 12;

SINGAPORE: More can be done to encourage regular outdoor educational activities for children.

Minister of State for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports Halimah Yaccob said this is in line with the ministry's goal of providing holistic development for children.

It's definitely not a conventional classroom at the Easter Egg Hunt event, organized by Legoland Malaysia and Kranji Countryside Association at three farms in Singapore's Kranji area.

And while the kids might be hot and sweaty, they're not complaining as they are learning about gardening and the great outdoors - all while having fun.

The aim of the event is to encourage the benefits of education through playful learning.

Madam Halimah said: "Singaporeans in their consciousness seem to think we're a concrete jungle. We don't have much of a green patch and if we have green, we think in terms of gardens, we don't think in terms of farms. I think it's very useful that we have the children out here. We'd like the children to have holistic development."

It's hoped that more organisations will jump on board to organise such activities.

Kranji Countryside Association president Ivy Singh Lim said it is a great initiative to bring the kids out of the classroom and encourage them to "love nature and find their soul".

Legoland Malaysia general manager Siegfried Boerst, said: "It's about education as well as bringing the children out and bonding them together. There are a lot of families that come here so there are a lot of values that we share. I think it's very important that we have a partner that shares the same vision and have the same target group."

The Easter Egg Hunt will be open to the public till April 25.

Participants can stand to win four sets of annual passes to Legoland Malaysia, which is set to open in Johor by the end of 2012.

And organisers say the public can look forward to more of such activities in the near future.

- CNA/fa