Play Pilipinas

As a kid, I remember playing in the yard and the streets with my siblings and cousins.  I hid myself strategically in Hide and Seek, I called "madaya" (not fair) when my big cousins wrestled me around Cops and Robbers,  I cried when my brothers didn't want me to join them playing basketball or baseball (well using socks as a ball). And I remember hopscotch and Jack stones were some of our favorites.  We did not have video games and kids tv shows back then and it was all normal for us to be running around and playing with our friends and cousins in our neighborhood.

Call me old fashion but I still would like to see kids running outside, laughing and giggling, sweating, with dirt on their clothes and even having a few scratches here and there.  That's the kind of playing I grew up with... and when I reminisce about those days, it never fails to rekindle happy thoughts, warm smiles and fun memories.  Indeed, playing at home or in school or with friends has a lot of benefits: it builds a happy family, warm and lasting relationships, and fond memories we carry through the years.  It sparks imagination, develops confidence and builds social skills.  

So it was a delight when my sister-in-law Sigrid and my brother Paul came up with the idea of putting up Play Universal,  a social enterprise that creates opportunities for kids to play.  They've been planning this for a year now and I am excited that their initial project is promising to be a successful one.

On  October 21 - 23, 2011 they will hold the first festival on children's play in Manila called Play Pilipinas.  This is the first on its kind held in the Philippines.  Their dream of promoting play as an integral part of development has snowballed into this big event.   Established educational and business institutions have joined them in this endeavor. Speakers from all over the world are flying into Manila to talk about importance of play.  

Of course since its a festival about play, there will be a lot of fun involved. Being the foodie that I am, I was fascinated with the workshop called Kitchen Playtime.  This will be hosted by a local TV food show host, Nancy Lumen Reyes.  And how fun could it be to do Chocolate finger painting, noodle art, the chemistry of popcorn and even the popular dish adobo.

Ahh it makes me want to be a kid all over again. Well don't we all wish we were kids again?  Because as kids all we want to think about is PLAY!  But then again, as Plato said:  "Life must be lived as PLAY".  It's time we take play seriously... LOL!

To Paul and Sigrid, good luck on your first venture!  May your kids continue to play like we used to and enjoy every minute of it.