Let Your Kid Be And Watch Him Learn In 100 Different Ways At This Indoor Playground

I first met Jammy Malli at an event where she talked about her business called One Hundred Ways. At that time, it was known as an edutainment provider for birthday parties and small gatherings. It has since evolved, and the service now has a physical location where kids can come to learn through play, get their hands dirty, and explore in a safe and nurturing environment.

As an educator for 10 years, Jammy has taught in a traditional and progressive setting. But it was during her five-year stint in Singapore that she fell in love with the Reggio-Emilia way of education, which inspired how she wanted to run One Hundred Ways Atelier.

Reggio-Emilia sounds Italian. Is it similar to Montessori?

Jammy: Yes. Being a Reggio-Emilia inspired establishment gives me a lot of freedom. I take the basic principles of learning, which believes that children learn in 100 different ways, and I apply them to our culture and what’s readily available. So, while it is Italian inspired, it is very much Filipino, too!

The basic premise of learning through this method of teaching is it is child-centered — the student leads the exploration in the most natural way possible. As long as the exploration is safe, the kids are encouraged to follow the different ways they enjoy learning. And we want the kids to understand they are part of a bigger community as well.

How old should the kids be to come and play in this space?

Jammy: We encourage kids to come and play up to 4 years old with a companion. From 4 years old to 12 years old, kids can be left on their own. We are not a daycare, nor are we a school, but we do offer structured opportunities (like classes) for learning in small groups.

We have had some parents who don’t have yayas hoping they can leave their younger children on their own without a companion as well. We are still trying to figure this part out, but we can make this type of an arrangement available by appointment only. If there are mommas who need to run a few quick errands on a busy Monday, they can schedule with us (for limited slots) to leave their littles for a couple of hours and come back at the predetermined time for pick up. We will see how it works.

Is One Hundred Ways open to kids with special needs?

Jammy: This is a sensory playground built for kids of all abilities. Everyone is welcome, and we are proudly inclusive.

What can parents expect further from One Hundred Ways Atelier?

Jammy: We will have small group classes for infants and toddlers. There will be Christmas workshops. Expect after-school clubs for kids 5-10 years old. And then we will also have a weekend special music classes, dance playground classes, and storytime at specific times. We will start to reach out to the community in more ways than one. Through Reggio-Emilia, we need to engage the community so that the kids understand they are part of something bigger.

When you visit One Hundred Ways Atelier, you should know the space is always changing and evolving. Each time your child comes here to play, there will be different sensory experiences for them to enjoy and learn through. Nothing is stationary except the art table and the multi-level sandbox. Things will be moved around weekly. We will continuously change things up so that the kids who explore will not get bored.

One Hundred Ways Atelier is located in Molito Lifestyle Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa. Call +63 (999) 995-4259. Find @onehundredwaysatelier on Facebook and Instagram.