Diversity playgroup allows local toddlers to mix with refugee children

Toddlers giggle and scream on colourful mats as balls in every colour of the rainbow swirl around them. It's a scene you would expect at any playgroup, but what makes this different is that the children themselves are adding to that colourful mix.

At the Cultural Diversity Playgroup, run by Hong Kong refugee charity Vision First, toddlers of expats and locals get to play with the children of the refugees the charity is helping. It's like a United Nations for the under-threes - and fun is always high on the agenda.

"I took my son to playgroups, but noticed a real lack of colour in the sessions so decided to set up the Cultural Diversity Playgroup," says Vision First co-founder Danielle Stutterd, who helps run the sessions, which her two-year-old son, Oliver, also attends.

"I saw an opportunity for refugee parents to mingle with the local community - the sessions provide a bridge between the Hong Kong community and the refugee community," Stutterd says.

Each group on average has attendees from 14 nations, such as Rwanda, Britain, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Uganda, America, the Congo, Australia and, of course, Hong Kong.

Held in Kennedy Town every Thursday from 11am to 12.15pm, the group's target age is six months to three years old (accompanied by one parent).

A typical session starts with a welcome song where the child's name is integrated into the lyrics. It's one of the many personal touches that make the sessions a warm experience. Each session also has a word of the day - at this session it was balloon - that is spoken in the variety of languages.

"We make sure there is loads of free play, which relaxes the children. Sometimes we have guest appearances, we've had a lady from Rwanda sing lullabies, a drummer from Togo and a Congolese guitarist," says Stutterd.