For children to develop their creativity, new facility offers safe space

– Peenie Bear’s GymBearie provides a range of family-oriented services

Guyanese can now access another safe space for children that will help them to develop their creativity in areas such as martial arts, katak, contemporary dancing, ballet, yoga, art and other family-oriented activities.

The doors of the Peenie Bear’s GymBearie were opened in Lance Gibbs Street, Georgetown on Saturday.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, speaking at the opening ceremony said the initiative aligns with the ministry’s vision for children throughout the country.

“In our country we always need to put emphasis on safety for children and creativity in their space, because if children are denied freedom of expression, from a very young and tender age, then they grow up very introverted and unable to express themselves in many ways that they have the potential to do,” she said.

The minister also expressed her appreciation for the concept, noting that it will bring families together.

“It is providing enough for parents and children to be able to bond and to be able to grow together.

“The idea of having a space within the first few years of childhood aligns with the early childhood development concept, where we focus on children zero to five years old and ensure one, they are able to be in an environment where creativity knows no bounds, no limits, but they are also in an environment where they could be observed and, on some level, screened for many of the things we want to be aware of very early in their lives,” she added.

Meanwhile, owner of the facility, Miriam Andrew-Ming, stressed that, “We needed to have a central safe collective open space for children.”