IDEACRATE: REVOLUTIONISING PLAY IN THE DIGITALAGE

We caught up with Shifa Yusuffali, founder of Ideacrate, a non-digital edutainment company, to discuss the importance of unplugged activities for developing young minds.

Founded by Shifa Yusuffali in 2015 after experiencing difficulties in finding quality entertainment options for herself and her toddler, Ideacrate is now one of the top entertainment and education businesses in the UAE, with over 11 branches across the country and further expansion plans across the Middle East.

Shifa’s mission is to revolutionise the edutainment industry by providing innovative and enriching experiences for children and families, setting the standard for high-quality, family-centred edutainment experiences in the region.

UNPLUGGED PLAY

Global bodies of research suggest that primary school aged children should have their screen time limited to one to two hours per day. Outside of this window, parents are advised to keep all activities off-screen. Not only does normal play give kids a chance to be more mindful of the present moment, but studies suggest that unplugged young brains actually work differently. Visualisation, imagination and social cues are all honed through the type of play we adults remember, and other benefits include reduced anxiety, better attention spans and a deeper connection to a sense of ‘self ’. The research is clear - children truly need an abundance of unplugged play to develop healthily and it can be useful to think of non-digital fun as a form of mental exercise that needs to be done from a young age.

HOW IDEACRATE BENEFITS CHILDREN