Since Piaget’s early childhood development theories of 50 years ago, we have known that the ages 3-7 are pivotal in developing children’s consciousness and decision-making patterns. Reading is a pivotal habit that helps develop children’s innate sense of curiosity and promote an interest in learning when they go to school, and it’s this development through visual stimuli and reading that spurred HDI Youth Marketeers to create the Mom & Me programme.

Mom & Me is an educational programme developed by HDI in conjunction with Everysun, Aquafresh and Scott’s Emulsion that educates young children about emotional intelligence and on how to enjoy a perfect day out, specifically, while protecting their skins from the sun, looking after their teeth and taking Scott’s Emulsion to prevent colds and flu.

The first phase of the programme kicked off in September and they will visit hundreds of pre-schools over a six month period to teach children important lessons through colourful stories, posters and exciting activities that allow them to have fun at school and at home.

Teachers in the over 400 pre-primary schools visited receive teacher activity manuals, as well as a variety of posters covering the key learning themes, while learners are treated to song-and-dance, Mom & Me industrial theatre character show, and each receives a copy of the Mom & Me book.

The book content is divided between the stories which moms read to their children at home and interactive exercises which they complete at school. The three chapters cover emotional intelligence (Mom & Me & Feeling Special), sun protection (Mom & Me & Suncare, sponsored by Everysun) and protective nutrition and grooming (Mom & Me & My Perfect Day, sponsored by Aquafresh and Scott’s Emulsion).

The books have been specifically designed with pre-primary school children in mind. “The stories feed children’s natural curiosity, the text is simple to understand, the pictures are colourful and appealing to this age group and the fun activities are perfect for moms and their children to interact and spend quality, educational time together,” says Jason Levin, MD of HDI Youth Marketeers.

According to a pre-primary schoolteacher in Edenvale, educating and connecting with one’s child is paramount during the formative years from 3 -6 years of age. “The only real time to connect moms and tots is bedtime and bath time – they don’t have much free time and want most activities to be done at school”, she says.

There is also a competition element where children draw a picture of a lesson that they have learnt with Mom & Me. Three winners will be chosen across the participating schools, and they will get their picture printed on a T-shirt for every child in their school and, in addition, the school will receive a book voucher prize.

Pre-school teachers are also given the opportunity to order a free, 1litre Everysun sunscreen dispenser. Subsequent top-up supply is provided to the pre-schools at cost by Everysun to apply to all learners daily.

Through awareness of EQ, suncare, toothcare and healthcare, children are taught to have respect for their bodies, but more importantly to understand and appreciate the role that their moms and caregivers play in their lives.

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