Charlene Chen, MP for Tampines GRC has been organising monthly playdates and soccer clinics for her youngest Tampines East residents, so as to reduce the children’s dependence on devices.
Dr Chen believes these play-and-learn activities help children grow up happy, connected, and resilient.
Dr Chen told Petir that parents are concerned about their children’s excessive social media use. As a young parent of an eight-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy, she understands the challenges parents face.
“As parents, we sometimes focus so much on our devices because of work, and our kids model us. Parents struggle because they are tired from work, and sometimes the device becomes what I call a pacifier. We want to help our parents deal with this,” Dr Chen explained.
Dr Chen and her grassroots team launched Playdate@Tampines East this year to support young families looking for meaningful ways to keep their children engaged. This monthly screen-free programme allows children to enjoy fun activities, build confidence and friendships, and strengthen connections within the community, she said.
Dr Chen said the first playdate was launched on 28 February with about 15 to 20 children visiting the community garden. The children learnt about basil, how it grows, how to harvest it, and how to use it in cooking.
A resident gardener taught them about composting and showed how earthworms turn food scraps into soil nutrients. The children then watched a cooking demonstration using fresh herbs.
“Our kids were active and enthusiastic, which was wonderful. This showed me that when we give children hands-on activities, they willingly move away from their mobile devices and forget about them. We need to provide these opportunities. That’s what I hope Playdate@Tampines East can achieve,” she said.
Resident network committees within Tampines East will take turns to organise the monthly playdates, Dr Chen noted. All children in Tampines East can participate in the range of activities at various parts of Tampines East throughout the year, she added.
“Resilience isn’t built only in classrooms. It also grows through small moments of play: learning to share, working together, and figuring things out together,” she said. “The programme offers diversity and variety. Children travel around the division and can learn more about Tampines, making the experience more engaging.”
Dr Chen credited fellow parliamentary colleague Poh Li San for the idea, which she then adapted for her division.
Soccer clinics to help children develop discipline, resilience, respect, and teamwork
Dr Chen’s grassroots team partnered with former Singapore national football team player Lim Tong Hai last year to conduct a soccer clinic that encouraged children in Tampines East to be more active. Mr Lim helped Singapore win the M-League and Malaysia Cup double in 1994.
The clinic received a positive response, Dr Chen noted. About 20 upper primary school children participated in the programme, which ran over several weekends and concluded in mid-November. The clinic will resume this year.
“When I reached out to Tong Hai, I shared that the clinic is more than just learning a new sport,” Dr Chen said. “It’s about discipline, resilience, respect, and teamwork. It also helps kids stay active instead of being sedentary and get them off screens. They play soccer, go home tired, and rest well.For children, getting proper rest is very important.
Her team also partners with Touch Community Services to conduct workshops that help children manage their relationships with devices.
“Parents can learn how to manage their children’s screen time,” she said. “We’re working on all fronts to help create more resilient children. I strongly believe in resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, and I’ve been talking about this frequently in Parliament.”
Dr Chen also wants to build a more inclusive and caring community within Tampines East. During her house visits and walkabouts, she has noticed several children with special needs. She noted that preschools in her division have also seen an increase in enrolment of students with special needs.
Her team is collaborating with CaringSG, a registered charity and Institution of Public Character for caregivers of persons with special needs, to train grassroots leaders on creating inclusive events where individuals with special needs can participate.
“If children with special needs can join the events, their parents will get some relief or at least have some opportunity to bring their kids for some activities,” she said. “We don’t want them to feel excluded. My wish is to build a more caring and inclusive community in Tampines East.”
