It begins with play. It grows through connection. And it starts at home.
How Play Is Changing Families, Children and Communities.
P@H is an eight-week family-strengthening programme delivered through home visits by trained Youth Play Ambassadors (YPAs). Through games, shared activities and guided conversations, families discover new ways to connect, communicate and support one another. In 2026, we completed two programme circles, P@H 13 and P@H 14, reaching 108 families and 232 children across Gugulethu, Nyanga and Tambo Village. A total of 30 YPAs participated in P@H 13 and 27 in P@H 14, contributing to 864 home visits. Behind these numbers are stories of families reconnecting, children discovering their strengths and young people finding opportunities to grow into community leaders.
Through Sisanda’s Play@Home programme, families are discovering that something as simple as play can bring them closer together. A home that once felt busy but disconnected can become a place of laughter, conversation and shared moments. A parent pauses to play with their child, siblings learn to enjoy one another’s company, and everyday activities become opportunities to connect.
For many families, this change matters because life can leave little room for meaningful time together. Parents juggle work, household responsibilities and the pressure of providing for their families, while children navigate school, friendships and their own routines. Before long, conversations become brief, shared activities become less frequent, and family members can find themselves living under the same roof without truly connecting. Sisanda’s Play@Home programme is helping families rediscover the value of being present with one another, showing that stronger relationships can begin with something as simple as making time to play.
As one community member put it, “You will hardly see the family together in one room. Kids will be doing their things; the parent will be doing something else.” There is also a common belief that play belongs to children. For some parents, sitting down to play with a child can feel unusual, or even unnecessary. “In black society a parent that plays with a child is seen like someone who has nothing to do... as playing is meant for kids not adults,” one participant explained. But when families begin to see play differently, something starts to change. Through Sisanda’s Play@Home programme, families are discovering that play is about more than keeping children busy. It creates opportunities to sit together, talk, listen, laugh and learn about one another.
Discovering the Power of Connection
For some parents, the programme has introduced a new way of spending time with their children. “As parents, we do not have time to play with our kids. This programme taught us to play with our kids and spend time together.” For others, this connection has transformed how they communicate with their children. “Through this programme I have learnt to talk to my child. Now I also respect my kids more... I have learned to use the magic words.”
Families are also beginning to approach problems differently. Conversations that may once have been left to one person to handle are becoming something families work through together. “Now when there is a problem, we sit down as a family and discuss it. Before, it used to be Daddy's job to handle the problem.” Another parent reflected on learning that communication is not simply about what we say, but how we say it: “Now I know that communication is not only about talking, but HOW you talk.” These may sound like small changes. Within a family, however, small changes can transform relationships and create opportunities for greater understanding and respect.
What Happens When Children Begin to Flourish?
The impact of play is also being seen in children. Parents describe children who are speaking more, asking for help and becoming more confident in their learning. “My eldest daughter never used to talk much, but now she does. She is even the one who starts conversations.” Another parent shared: “My child asks for help instead of getting frustrated and giving up.”
Play has also helped make learning feel less intimidating. “Doing fun learning activities made schoolwork feel less stressful.” For some families, play has changed how children relate to one another. “Children who used to only fight now play. They play the games on the play sheets. They respect each other and have fun.”
These experiences show how play can create opportunities for children to practise communication, cooperation, problem-solving and emotional expression, without taking away from what play is meant to be: enjoyable. Sometimes, however, the impact of play is most powerful in the changes families never expected.
From Struggle to Reconnection
One mother described a difficult journey with her son, whose challenges had affected their relationship at home and his experience at school.
“I used to think I had lost my son. The school was tired of him, I was tired too. But now, I see him changing. He smiles more; he hugs me now. We talk. I never thought play could do that.” Her experience is a powerful reminder that behind a child's behaviour, there may be a need for connection, understanding and support. Through play, families can discover new ways of relating to one another and creating space for positive change. Another mother described a different kind of transformation: the small rituals that make a relationship feel special again. “We have our own jokes now. She waits for me at the gate with a big smile. Even if I’m tired from work, that’s the best feeling.” These are the moments that remind us that connection does not always require something complicated. Sometimes, it begins with sitting down together. A game. A conversation. A laugh. A few minutes of undivided attention.
When Confidence Grows Beyond the Home
The impact of Play@Home extends beyond participating families to the young people who deliver the programme. Through a year-long programme, Youth Play Ambassadors (YPAs) develop the skills and confidence to facilitate Play@Home activities and support children and families in their communities. For many, this journey also brings personal growth and a stronger sense of purpose. One YPA reflected: “I was very shy. I had never spoken to my teachers and had no friends in school. I am now more confident. I realise if I don’t speak, I won’t get anywhere.”
Another shared how the experience helped them overcome shyness and develop communication skills: “I walked out of a job last year as I didn’t know how to speak to anyone. I was a very shy person. Now I have practiced. I have had to speak with so many new people to run the programme. I have learnt a lot. I have changed and I am more confident.”
As YPAs grow in confidence, they also recognise the responsibility and opportunity they have to support children in their communities. One shared, “I want to be the safe place for children in my community.” Another reflected on the difference they hope to make: “I want to do this again because of the change I have seen I have made in my community. I can help others to see what they are and that they are worth everything.”
These reflections show how investing in YPAs through a year of learning and practical experience can strengthen their personal development while equipping them to create safe, supportive spaces for children and families through Play@Home.
The Ripple Effect of Play
Play does not remove the challenges families face. But it can create something important within those challenges: a space to connect, communicate, learn and feel seen. What begins as a simple game can become a conversation. A conversation can build trust. Trust can nurture confidence. And confidence can travel from the home into the wider community.
Through Play@Home, Sisanda is supporting families to recognise the value of everyday interactions and the possibilities that emerge when children and caregivers make time for one another.
The changes described by parents and young people remind us that meaningful transformation does not always begin with a major intervention. Sometimes, it starts with a small shift in how we listen, communicate, play and show up for one another.
As one participant beautifully put it:
“The true magic of play is not just in the games, it’s in the connections we build, the lessons we learn, and the future we create together. It starts with play. It grows through connection. And it starts at home.”
