While the magic show for the children is happening, the parents queued up to sign up for the games we designed for them. Almost every apparatus and materials needed for the games are recyclable and reusable, encouraged by the person-in-charge of YCK.
The team is busy preparing for the games before the session starts! And also.. some discussion because of some issues that we are not prepared. Luckily we can find a solution to the problem! Bravo!
The parents are divided into 5 groups and they will play a series of games with the same team. Each game will have a winner and so, may the odds be ever in your favour!
On your mark, get set, GO!
Game #1 The Damaged
The game started like this: All the teams are gathered at one side of the game area in rows. The first member of the team is given a cup and they are required to fill the cup with water in the pail provided, then run to the other side of the game area and fill a plastic bottle up with the water. Sounds easy? The twist is, all the cups are purposely damaged, with holes at the bottom of the cup!
We are surprised to see the parents are as energetic as their children!
Game #2 Dodge!
After a short break, the parents are told to form a big circle. The first team are required to stand in the circle. Then, a ball is given to the players and they are required to "attack" the players in the circle with the ball. Once the player is hit, then the player is out of the game. The game continues until the last person is defeated, and then is the next group's turn to be "attacked". Time is taken for each team and the winner will be the team who stands the longest!
Unfortunately, there is a casualty for this game, one of the parents accidentally sprained her leg when she tried to avoid the ball. Luckily there are first aid on the run!
Game #3 Follow the Music
Due to the hot day, the parents are given ample time to rest and to accompany their children to walk around the carnival during their break time. Yet when the whistle is blown, the parents rush back on the spot to continue the game marathon!
For this game, we got help from the technical team of the carnival to play some music! Yes, you guessed it right, we played the musical chair!
The rules of the game are pretty much self explanatory, the players are required to sit on the chair in the circle when the music stops, those who fails to do so will not proceed to the next round. Some twist we might add will be, when the music is playing, we will play around with the speaker, to turn to volume softer, or those music that has some quick stops in the music. Sounds evil, isn't it?
Game #4 Want Some Splash?
Undeniable that the weather is very hot! Nonetheless that all of us are having activities under the hot sun! This game is designed that the balloons are filled with water, the same team are required to pass the water balloon by throwing it to the partner, standing with some distance in between them. The balloon are not supposed to break during their catch, or miss the balloon and it break on the ground. Of course, the longest team standing wins.
At first we are worried that the parents might not participate in this game because it might wet themselves, but they are willing to play it, some of them even took of their shoes to avoid them from soaking wet and the game proceed smoothly!
This marks the end of the parents' play time! Looking at them playing makes us wanting to go back to our childhood, where there are less thing to be worried, and problems are usually not a problem. Growing up is painful, but it is a necessity of our life. This always remind me of a story of a girl diagnosed with neuroblastoma. After five years of battling with the disease, Talia Castellano, a Youtube star, a beauty guru, and also a cancer warrior, passed away on July 16, 2013. However, her optimism always inspires us. During her interview in the Ellen show, this quote hits me,
"What do you want me to do? Be depressed? A little fishy told me to 'Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!'"
--Talia
Thank you Talia, for inspiring us, for sharing the positive energy and the strength to the world.
Back to the carnival, after a lucky draw session, the carnival proceeds with children' performance! The performances is getting excited with taekwondo show and also capoeira!
As mentioned before in the blog, YCK hires a Taekwondo teacher for the children to learn some martial arts, which act as a protection to the children, especially in the busy country like this. Their training and also hard work are presented in front of their parents, hoping them to be rest assured with them and not to be over protective.
Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that combines the elements of dance, acrobatics and music. It can be played anywhere, but it is usually done in a roda. The roda is not the wheel, but a circle formed by capoeiristas and capoeira musical instruments, where every participant sings the typical songs and claps their hand following the music.
This game is modified with the children sitting in the circle and sing a typical song and clap their hand, and two children came in the circle at a time to perform some moves. This session is gets even exciting when some teenagers joined the game and sings some more interesting songs!
After the two sessions, another lucky draw is held. Then, for the last session, the final singing competition! The children had audition back in the activity centre, and some of the best singers are chosen to perform their favourite songs on the stage!
One of the participants, dedicate the song to his mother, showered with love and passion, shed his tears in front of the stage. However, he managed to finish the song and expressed how he missed his mother in spite that his parents are busy with work. Praise him for his courage and his love towards his family :)
Finally, the closing ceremony! It started with giving out the gifts to the parents and also some awards to the children.
The surprising thing is that at the end of the ceremony, there is a award giving ceremony to the volunteers! We received a certificate, a small cereal box, and also a handmade gift from the children, which is irreplaceable and very heart warming.
You don't have to open your wallet to show your love. It is not the expense of the gift that really matters. It's the thought and time spent on the gift that counts. Thank you children, thank you YCK, thank you for letting us learn some lifetime lessons.
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