Scaling Community-Based Playgroups in Botswana and The Parent Playbox Across Africa

Learn To Play (LTP) advances early childhood education and foundational learning through a government-aligned, systems-focused approach that combines community-based playgroups with scalable parenting interventions.

In Botswana, LTP works as a technical partner to government and community structures to expand access to quality early childhood education for children aged 2–5. The organisation supports community-based playgroups across eight districts, reaching over 800 children daily. The model centres on training and mentoring local women (“mamas”) as early childhood educators - over 60 women to date - while embedding play-based and social-emotional learning approaches into existing community and government systems.

Beyond implementation, LTP strengthens government capacity by training social workers, government officers, and community-based staff, alongside providing ongoing mentorship, monitoring, and evaluation support. This ensures the model is not only effective but also scalable and sustainable within national systems.

Child outcomes are measured through the Assessment for Play-Based Early Childhood Education, which shows that 93% of children meet their early learning milestones before entering primary school. In addition, 92% of children meet their social and emotional learning milestones independently, and 77% achieve language and literacy milestones with structured support.

Complementing this, the Community Parent Playbox extends learning into the home by supporting caregivers facing high stress, poverty, and isolation. Delivered through fortnightly group sessions facilitated by trained community volunteers and social workers, the model builds caregiver confidence and practical skills through low-cost, culturally relevant, play-based activities.

The Community Parent Playbox has been implemented with partners in Uganda, South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania, enabling scale through local organisations while maintaining quality through LTP’s training and technical support. Early results show a 47% increase in parental self-esteem and a 35% reduction in parenting stress, alongside more responsive and playful caregiving.

Together, these models demonstrate a scalable pathway to strengthening early childhood systems - combining government partnership, community ownership, and caregiver engagement to improve school readiness, social-emotional development, and long-term learning outcomes.