When child's play is serious business

She quit corporate world to start indoor play spaces where kids can foster their creativity

- Sue-Ann Tan

When Covid-19 hit the world, Ms Sophia Ng was working in Hong Kong, and had her young daughter, Elise, living with her.

The child had to be homeschooled because of the lockdowns in the city, and also learnt through play-based means in playgroups.

"When she finally started preschool in Singapore at Kindergarten 1, I noticed that the informal, play-based learning she had experienced built resilience and a curiosity for learning in her," Ms Ng, 35, said of Elise, now aged seven.

"Although she struggled to adjust to the formal school environment initially, the skills she developed through play helped her, particularly in socialisation."

That experience of watching Elise play and interact with the world with a wide-eyed wonder sowed the seeds of a business idea in Ms Ng's mind.

In 2022, she quit her corporate job and, soon after, co-founded Kidztropic Singapore - indoor play spaces for children to engage in activities that foster creativity, curiosity and problem-solving skills.

The switch to running her own business - from the corporate world the likes of Philip Morris and Remy Cointreau, where she worked in key account sales and marketing - is one that she finds worthwhile as it aligns her personal passions with her work.

"What spurred... my first foray into entrepreneurship was wanting to avoid having 'what ifs' in my life. The journey may be challenging, but the fulfilment of pursuing your passion and creating something meaningful far outweighs the uncertainties," she said.

She lives with her daughter in a condominium in the north-east.

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