Play, Learning and Parenting Hubs
The Play, Learning and Parenting Hubs foster social inclusion bringing together in a friendly space both Romanian and Ukrainian children
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Playing and learning are essential for every child’s development – starting from the moment they are born. The first years of life shape a child’s development in every aspect – physical, linguistic, social, and emotional. These years build the foundation for their future life.
Together with partners, UNICEF created 28 Play, Learning and Parenting Hubs across 10 counties in Romania, where children can spend a few hours every day to make new friends and develop new skills, such as early literacy and numeracy, creativity, socialization, curiosity, exploring their surroundings and connecting with the real-world environment.
The Play, Learning, and Parenting Hubs concept aims to promote social inclusion through early education and care, supporting both Romanian and Ukrainian children living in Romania.
Where you can find the Play, Learning and Parenting Hubs
The Play Learning and Parenting Hubs are located in Bucharest, Sighetu Marmației, Sibiu, Isaccea, Târgu Mureș, Sighișoara, Brașov, Iași, Mediaș, Constanța, Galați, and Cluj-Napoca.
As of April 2023, more than 650 young children from Romania and Ukraine have been registered to these hubs, having access to the educational services provided there.
As a result of the war in Ukraine, thousands of boys and girls lost their opportunities to play and learn. In Romania, UNICEF supports the refugee children to continue their development and their education, through the Play, Learning and Parenting Hubs.
Early childhood education and care services are essential for all children's development, school performance, and social inclusion. In the early years of life, support from parents, caregivers, and tutors can create strong foundations for lifelong physical, mental, and learning outcomes. For children on the move, like the Ukrainian refugees, access to early education services is vital because of the risk of accumulating losses related to basic skills.
"Access to early education and care boosts children's development, helping them to socialize and learn. Having children from different backgrounds learning and socializing together from an early age fosters long-term social inclusion. From an economic point of view, investing in early education is the best investment we can make as a society, because one dollar invested now will return at least seven dollars in the long run, as the future earnings of adults depend on the quality of education in the early years of life", said Anna Riatti, UNICEF Representative in Romania.
Discover the Primo Hubs
The PrimoHUB is a Play, Learning and Parenting Center, aimed at stimulating the development of children from birth to 6 years old by increasing the access to education of children from vulnerable communities, developing the parental skills of community members, as well as strengthening and expanding the skills of educators.
The PrimoHUB concept aims to promote social inclusion through early education and care and support both Romanian and Ukrainian children living in Bucharest.
A happy child, a happy parent!
“I've seen some changes regarding my son's behavior. He used to spend time only with us, at home, being a little spoiled. But since he started going to the center, he learned how to follow the rules, and he became more responsible.
Lucian is in a mixed group, where he also interacts with Ukrainian children. I think this brings benefits for all of them because it helps them to become more sociable and to interact easier with each other.” says Alina, a Romanian mother who registered her both children to Primo Hub.
„We started to come to this center in March. Luca is a very curious and sociable child, but he hasn't had the opportunity to interact too much with other children, because he stayed at home with me.
At the Primo Hub, he is always doing activities that I didn't do at home with him, preparing him for the next level. He already has some new friends at the Primo Hub, including some of the Ukrainian children who are in his group.
Coming to Primo Hub has helped Luca a lot because it has stimulated his creativity and his memory: he has learned poems, and now he is always eager to draw and paint at home,” says Florina, the mother of Luca.
„The 5-6 years old children are getting prepared for school. They are learning the letters and the numbers in Romanian and in the second part of the day we organize recreational activities. We read stories, watch movies, and build with LEGO.
The Ukrainian children who come to the center have learned the Romanian alphabet, and my son already understands the language, but he is a bit shy when he speaks.
With the younger ones, the classes are focused on creative activities and play,” said Anastasiia, Ukrainian teacher at the Play, Learning and Parenting Hub.