Summer is a festival season in Japan, and here at YMCA Global Kindergarten, we celebrated this season with our annual “Summer Festival” which is led not only by teachers by also by students.
We started the festivities with the omikoshi (portable shrine) parade. Everyone chanted wasshoi and rang bells as they paraded to the festival attendees. Then the game centers opened. The participants who led the games did a great job explaining the rules to guest and put stamps on their stamp cards. Our guests excitedly tried all the activities which included Bowling, Fishing, Alligator Pow, Shooting, UFO Slasher (hurling), and the new activity this year which is “dancing.” We also had Operetta Video viewing at one of the rooms. We also had a “Moving Janken game” for our guest wherein they challenge one of the teachers to a janken, and if they win they could win a toy, otherwise they still get a sticker.
At the end of the festival, we did watermelon cracking wherein all the children had a chance to whack to paper mache watermelon. When the mache broke, they were showered with the candies from inside of it, and the children eagerly grabbed candies falling at them.
Lastly, a big watermelon was shared to everyone, and it was good way to end the festival as we could it eat with our families and friends. It was a wonderful day at the summer festival because the children were involved in a lot of activities throughout the day.
We are very thankful to all the participants and all the people who came despite the weather and typhoon warning.