Free PLAY Training Courses

Children, magnifying glass and explore nature outdoor for education, vacation journey or wildlife discover. Siblings, grass park and forest for research on mountain field or adventure, holiday or fun.

Take learning to new heights with free online PLAY courses designed for people who work with young children. These courses help Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners, teachers and caregivers strengthen their skills in using play-based learning to support children’s development.

As a PLAY member, you can complete as many courses as you wish at your own pace. The flexible online format includes practical activities, videos and learning resources that can be applied in early learning centres, classrooms and community programmes.

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African Storybook: Stories for Every Child

Reading storybook together, African father and child sharing smiles at home. Family, bonding, parenting, storytelling, togetherness, happiness

The African Storybook Initiative provides free access to a wide collection of picture storybooks in many African languages. The platform is designed to support children’s literacy, encourage a love of reading and inspire imagination through culturally relevant stories.

Teachers, parents and community reading groups can access, download, and print storybooks for children. The platform also allows users to translate, adapt and create new stories, helping to grow a diverse library of reading materials that reflect the languages and experiences of children across Africa.

By making stories freely available in local languages, African Storybook helps more children discover the joy of reading while building essential literacy skills.


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Ntataise: Building Strong Foundations

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Ntataise is an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving Early Childhood Development (ECD) in South Africa, particularly in disadvantaged rural communities. Established in 1980, the organisation focuses on equipping women with the knowledge, training and support needed to start and sustain quality ECD programmes for young children.

Ntataise works closely with communities to strengthen the early learning sector by training ECD practitioners, supporting community-based pre-schools and developing leadership within the sector. Through its programmes and national network of partner organisations, Ntataise helps expand access to quality early childhood education while improving the skills of those who care for and teach young children.

By empowering women and supporting community-driven early learning initiatives, Ntataise helps ensure that more children receive the strong educational foundation they need during their most important developmental years.

Learn More About Ntataise

FunDza Literacy Programme

Young black woman lying down on bed writing down her notes at home. Girl wearing eyeglasses and beige sweater. Girl preparing her homework.

FunDza Literacy Trust is a South African nonprofit organisation dedicated to improving literacy among teens and young adults. Its mission is to encourage young people to read for pleasure, write for expression and develop the skills they need for lifelong learning.

FunDza focuses particularly on youth from under-resourced communities who may have limited access to books or reading material. To address this, the organisation provides free, mobile-friendly reading content through its online platform, often described as a “library on a phone”. Young people can access stories, articles and learning resources directly from their mobile devices, making reading more accessible and engaging.

Beyond reading, FunDza also encourages young people to develop their writing skills. Aspiring writers can submit their own stories, receive feedback and even have their work published on the platform. The organisation offers writing mentorships, training programmes and online courses that help young people strengthen their literacy and communication skills.

By combining storytelling, digital access and youth participation, FunDza is helping to build a culture of reading and writing among South Africa’s next generation.

Explore the FunDza Literacy Platform

Nal’ibali: Inspiring a Love of Reading in Children

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Nal’ibali is a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign that aims to spark children’s potential through storytelling and literacy. The programme encourages families, educators and communities to develop a culture of reading by making books and stories more accessible to children across South Africa.

One of the powerful tools offered by Nal’ibali is MAKE, an online platform designed to help anyone create and share stories. Through MAKE, users can create new picture storybooks, translate existing stories into different languages, adapt stories for different reading levels and build their own personalised collection of storybooks. This makes it easier for educators, parents and literacy champions to provide engaging and culturally relevant reading material for children.

By giving people the tools to create and share stories, Nal’ibali helps communities nurture young readers and strengthen literacy development from an early age.

Explore Nal’ibali and Create Stories

ECD Certificate Programme

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Running an Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme is a meaningful way to support young children and strengthen your community. If you operate a crèche, daycare or preschool programme in South Africa, obtaining an ECD Programme Certificate helps ensure that your programme meets national standards for care, safety and child development.

An ECD Programme Certificate confirms that your programme provides a safe and structured environment where children can learn, grow and develop. Registered programmes are expected to support children’s emotional, social, physical and cognitive development while promoting their dignity, culture and individuality.

To apply for certification, practitioners typically need appropriate ECD training or experience and must provide information about their programme. This may include details about staff, facilities, the learning programme and how the service will be managed. Applications are submitted through the Department of Social Development or the relevant local authority.

Once approved, the certificate may be issued for up to five years. Registration is free and can take several weeks to process. Being registered can also open doors to potential support and funding opportunities for qualifying programmes.

If you already run or are planning to start an ECD programme, applying for certification is an important step toward providing quality early childhood care and education.

Learn How to Apply for an ECD Programme Certificate