PETALING JAYA – 26 July 2025 Taarana’s Early Transition Program and Early Intervention Program recently welcomed parents and families for an engaging workshop focused on the power of play-based learning in child development. The interactive session provided valuable insights and practical strategies that parents can implement at home to support their children’s growth and learning journey.

Event Highlights

The workshop brought together families from our Early Intervention and Early Transitions Programs to explore how play can become a powerful tool for learning and development. Led by our experienced educators, including Teacher Angie from the Early Transitions Program and Teacher Mira from the Early Intervention Program, parents participated in hands-on activities and gained deeper understanding of child-centered learning approaches.

“When kids learn through play, they can explore freely. The more they touch, feel, and move, the more they learn through their whole body,” shared Teacher Mira during the session.

What Parents Learned

1. Strategic Toy Selection for Development

Workshop participants discovered how to choose toys that align with their child’s developmental needs and interests. Key considerations included focusing on specific skill development areas such as motor skills, speech and language, emotional regulation, and social interaction, while ensuring age-appropriate selection and maintaining safety standards.

2. The Power of Open-Ended Play

Parents explored how open-ended play activities allow children to engage with materials in their own unique way, supporting creativity, problem-solving, and independence. The session included real examples from our classrooms, including how sensory tools like soft pillows and Velcro-based manipulative toys have helped children develop better emotional regulation skills.

3. Implementing the O.W.L. Strategy

A highlight of the workshop was introducing parents to our proven O.W.L. approach:

· Observe what captures your child’s attention

· Wait for your child to show interest and engagement

· Listen to how they interact and respond

Parents practiced this strategy with practical examples, learning how to connect their child’s interests with learning opportunities

4. Positive Parent Response

The workshop received enthusiastic feedback from attending families. Parents particularly appreciated the hands-on demonstrations and practical examples they could immediately apply at home. Many requested additional sessions with more personalized guidance for their individual children’s needs.

“We would like to have more demos with practical examples that cater specifically to each child, and more frequent sessions like this would be helpful,” commented one participating parent.

5. Celebrating Student Success

During the workshop, we also shared inspiring success stories from our program. Parents learned about students who have thrived through play-based learning, including a child who combined her love of singing with confidence-building through performance opportunities, and another who developed number and pattern recognition skills that opened doors to inclusive classroom participation.

6. Taarana’s Commitment to Child-Centered Learning

Taarana’s Early Intervention and Early Transitions Programs are designed to help children discover their potential through developmentally appropriate, engaging approaches. Through intentional play and evidence-based strategies, we support children in developing critical skills including communication, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.