Ms Yew Lay Teng, Chief Human Resource Officer, SP Group,
Mr Joel Tan, CEO, KidSTART Singapore,
Mr Jack Lim, Managing Director, Community Chest,
KidSTART families and friends,
Introduction
1. Good morning. I am happy to be at today’s Play It Forward Festival, held in conjunction with the International Day of Play, with our KidSTART families, partners and volunteers. It is a wonderful occasion to celebrate our children, and to celebrate all of you who have journeyed with them.
2. Play is the focus of today’s festival. While play comes naturally to children, it is also a very important part of a child’s holistic development.
3. Through play, children learn to communicate, imagine, solve problems, share, and interact with others. These are important building blocks in a child’s early development. Just as importantly, play creates meaningful moments between parents and children – moments where children feel safe, loved and encouraged. As a parent myself – I have four children – I know how precious these moments are. These moments pass quickly, but their impact lasts a lifetime.
4. Raising children is no easy task, so we want to ensure that every family in Singapore has the support they need. Some may need parenting support, while others may need practical resources, or simply some encouragement along the way. What matters is that you know that you are not alone.
5. This kind of support is especially important in our children’s early years, when they are developing quickly and we are laying the foundation for their growth. As parents, we are our children’s first and most important teachers. Our children’s earliest experiences – everyday interactions like reading, talking and playing – can make a real difference in their development, confidence and well-being.
KidSTART’s Role in Supporting Families
6. We recognise that every family’s circumstances are different. That is why our approach is centred on the family – by looking at how we can best meet your family’s needs, and how we can bring the right support to you.
7. This is where KidSTART comes in. Through KidSTART, we seek to engage families from as early as the pregnancy stage, understand their needs better, and provide practical and family-centred support throughout their child’s early years. In doing so, we want to help parents like yourself feel more supported in your parenting journey and help your children build a stronger foundation for learning and development.
8. The Play It Forward Festival is a good example of how we can make such support accessible and meaningful for families. Today, families get to spend time together and bond, children can interact with one another and make new friends, and parents can pick up simple and fun ideas to try out at home.
Importance of Whole-of-society Effort in Providing Every Child a Good Start in Life
9. Supporting children and families cannot be done by any single organisation, or by the Government alone. We believe that Better Starts with Us – that when we come together with social service agencies, corporate partners like SP Group, volunteers and the community, we can build a society where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
10. And “Better” really does start with each and every one of us, in the everyday moments. When a parent sits down to read with their child before bedtime. When a company chooses to invest in the community. These moments are how we build a stronger, more caring Singapore – one family at a time.
11. I want to convey my appreciation for SP Group’s commitment and continued sponsorship. Through your belief in the value of KidSTART and partnership, more families can benefit and access resources and experiences to support children’s development in their early years. This is a wonderful example of what we can achieve when we come together for our children.
12. I would also like to thank our KidSTART families for being committed to wanting the best for your child, and your efforts to create precious memories and support your child’s development through meaningful interactions and play. And to the KidSTART team and volunteers – thank you for your dedication. Your work helps families feel supported, encouraged and better equipped to give their children a good start in life.
Closing
13. To everyone here today, I hope you enjoy the festival. Through simple moments of play, we strengthen family bonds and help our children grow in confidence, curiosity and resilience.
14. Let us play it forward together. Thank you.