These Play Labs Are Giving Kids A Better Start In Life

Play Labs is a program that provides 3- to 5-year-olds with a fun and engaging way to learn. The program is based in local communities and schools in Bangladesh, Tanzania, Uganda, and refugee camps. It is run by BRAC, an international development organization.

Play Labs uses play to help children develop their physical, social, cognitive, and language skills. Children learn to read, write, and count, and they also learn how to work together, solve problems, and be creative.

A two-year study of Play Labs in Bangladesh found that the program improved children's developmental and educational outcomes. Children who were below average at the start of the study had caught up with their peers by the end of the two-year period. This means that they start primary school equipped with the skills they need to succeed.

More than 115,000 kids have attended Play Labs since the project began in 2015. The program is a partnership between BRAC and the LEGO Foundation.

Experts say that pre-primary education is foundational to development but that far too many children lack the basic skills they need to succeed in school. Every $1 invested in a child's education yields up to $5 in returns over a lifetime. And every additional year of education translates to 9% higher lifetime earnings, on average.

Watch to learn more about play labs.