Have you ever wondered how important play is for our children? Munis Baqai talks to Pakistan Life Illustrated about the enlightening world of STOIS. STOIS is the brainchild of Sofia Bilgrami, who focuses on the importance of play in the personality development of a child.

I first came to know about STOIS after watching a brief interactive video presented by its CEO Sofia Bilgrami on how play is intertwined with learning in the personality development of a child. As a parent I can vouch that it was worth every second of my time. It not only cleared numerous confusions but also allowed my wife and I to look at parenting from a completely different angle.

The most interesting part of the video for us was when Sofia said: “The act of play is in fact a serious form of learning for each child and instead of struggling to strike a balance between the two we need to understand that they are effectively interchangeable.”

Its very important here to note that contrary to the ideas perpetuated by our traditional thoughts which demarcate Parhai (study) and Khel (play) as polar opposites, Sofia talks about the two being the same thing. She further reveals that children develop their social and cognitive skills, mature emotionally, and gain the required self-confidence for new experiences and environments through play.

With her brand Stois, Sofia also talks about how play used effectively can actually give a child first hand experience which is pivotal for their learning. She introduces the VARK learning theory which says that there are four ways and types of learning: visual (seeing), auditory (hearing or seeing), read/write, kinaesthetic (DOING). The combined usage of all of these methods are ideal for a child’s learning.

Young parents will definitely share my concern on the next point I am about to make.With the increasing presence of electronic accessories around (TV, laptops, mobiles, gaming devices, tablets, etc.) in our homes there are high chances that our children are more likely to miss the vital outdoor adventures which we got to experience as children. The street cricket and football we played had an impact on our physical and mental growth. The experiences are important and it shouldn’t be compromised.

As a parent one is always deciphering how to provide safe, interactive outdoor play opportunities to our children on long-term basis. Stois is perhaps the only brand in Pakistan providing answers for this dilemma. Passionate about creating state of the art spaces, the CEO of Stois, Sofia Bilgrami uses play to reinforce learning with the various residential and commercial projects she has worked on. We’re really hoping to see more of such videos that provide expert advice for old, young, potential parents and institutions. For all those wanting to learn more, make sure to check out Stois’s Youtube page, we guarantee eye opening information!