AIA Foundation announces the launch of “AIA Foundation Online Wellness Playground” (AIAF-wellness.org) that provides over 150 educational and fun workshops, regular parenting talks and activities hosted by distinguished guests, as well as exciting online games for free, to help children and parents enrich themselves, stay positive and enhance their physical and mental well-being without having to set foot outdoor.
There are three main sections in “AIA Foundation Online Wellness Playground”: “Workshops” that provides fun learning, personality development and well-being enhancement, hosted by renowned instructors, covering a vast spectrum of topics that will be updated weekly, including Chinese creative writing, STEM, singing, social etiquette, martial arts, and handicrafts, etc.; “Events” will feature monthly parenting talks hosted by distinguished speakers including Dr. Iris Chau, Chairperson and Chief Clinical Supervisor of Child Parent Relationship Therapy Association of Hong Kong, Ms Shirley Loo, Secretary-General of the Family Development Foundation, Principal Johnny Kwan, Curriculum and Training Director of FQ Education Academy, and Mrs. Josephine Ling, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Character City Movement. On Mother's Day and Father's Day, renowned band DisCover will host an online interactive concert, taking song requests from children to dedicate their love to their parents; “Games” offers online games that promote healthy messages, providing fun and challenging tasks for children. More games will be launched in due course. Children can participate in “Workshops” and “Games” by registering on “AIA Foundation Online Wellness Playground” (AIAF-wellness.org) while no registration is required for “Events”, which is dedicated for parents and the public.
Title sponsored by AIA Foundation while designed, provided and managed by Seedland Educational Charitable Foundation, “AIA Foundation Online Wellness Playground” is expected to provide regular and interesting online activities for over 3,000 children and their family in support of their physical and mental well-being.
Mr. Alger Fung, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau and Director of AIA Foundation, said, “AIA Foundation is committed to driving social and economic development and nurturing our children and young people. With the aim to cultivate a healthier and more productive future human capital for the society, we established the US$100 million AIA Scholarships last year, in addition to running the Young Leaders Development Programme for more than two decades. Year 2020 was a challenging year with students being restricted from enjoying free play time outdoor and attending extracurricular activities, which in turn have affected their physical and mental well-being. On this account, we are motivated to title sponsor ‘AIA Foundation Online Wellness Playground'. We aim to encourage children to learn via play and parents to enjoy parenting talks and online concerts by utilising digital technology, hence helping people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives in the new normal.”
According to Article 31, Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) of the United Nations, a child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. In 2011, a research by the American Academy of Paediatrics pointed out that children who lose time to play freely are more prone to depression and anxiety disorder, thus suggested to provide at least one hour of free play time a day for children. In response to these suggestions, “AIA Foundation Online Wellness Playground” offers “Workshops”, “Games” and “Events” to proactively meet the needs of children and parents in Hong Kong.
