Materials
at least 10 rubber ducks
5 green and 5 red circle stickers 5 buckets or small boxes small inexpensive prizes at least 10 paper cutout fish markers commercial face painting kit commercial child's bowling game commercial child's basketball hoop and small basketball cardboard utility knife (adult only) Polaroid camera and filmInstructions
* March 29th is Youth Day in China.
1. About a month before you want to hold the festival, read a book about
Chinese Youth Day. Explain that on Youth Day, families in China have
parties to celebrate how happy they are to have their children. Ask the
children if they would like to help plan a Youth Day Festival.
2. Brainstorm what games and activities to include in the Youth Day
Festival. Ask leading questions such as, "What games do you like to play?"
"What do you like to do to have fun?" and "What is your favorite thing
to do?"
3. Following is a list of games and activities you might include:
* Pluck the Duck: Float rubber ducks with colored tags on the bottom
in a low sensory table. Label buckets or boxes of small prizes with
identical colors. The children pull a duck from the water, look at the
colored tag on the bottom, and choose a small prize from a similarly
colored bucket or box.
* Fishing: Make paper fish and draw shapes on their sides (circle,
triangle, or square). Make pairs of fish (two squares, etc.). Label buckets
or boxes of small prizes with identical shapes. Attach a paper clip to
the fish's nose. Make a fishing pole by tying a length of string to a
dowel rod and tying a magnet to the end of the string. The children
use the pole to catch the shape fish. When a child catches two that
match, she chooses a prize from a box with a similar label on it.
* Face/Hand Painting: Purchase face paints and have an adult paint
simple designs or drawings on the children's cheeks or hands.
* Bowling: Purchase a child's bowling set and have an adult lead the
children in taking turns as they bowl. Provide small prizes for
everyone.
* Basketball: Purchase a child's basketball set and have an adult lead
the children in attempting to score a goal. Provide small prizes for
everyone.
* Beanbag Toss: Create an interesting shape or drawing on a large
piece of cardboard. Cut holes in the cardboard (big enough for
beanbags to fit through) and label each hole with a different number.
Label buckets or boxes of prizes with matching numbers. Children toss
beanbags through the holes and choose a prize from the bucket with
the matching number.
* Commemorative Photo: Use a Polaroid camera to take photos of
each family at the festival. Give these photos to the families as a
memento of the day.
Note: Assign a teacher, parent volunteer, or trusted adult to run each
game or activity.
4. Let the children help create the chosen games. Encourage them to draw
shapes on the fish, attach colored labels to the ducks, or draw designs for
the bean bag toss. Get the children involved on every level.
5. Design flyers to advertise the celebration. Explain to the children that
they need to work together to make a poster that lets people know
when and where the festival is to be held and who is invited. Remember
to set a certain time frame for the activities, such as from 10:00-11:30
a.m. for a half-day program or 4:00-5:30 p.m. for a full-day program.
Create two or three posters to place around the school. Make sure
everyone knows they are invited.
6. Ask some volunteers to provide simple healthy snacks for the party. Fruit,
cheese, crackers, and pretzels are fun and easy to eat. Ask a volunteer to
provide apple or grape juice to drink. If necessary, ask other volunteers to
provide plates, cups, and napkins.
7. Ask volunteers to arrive early on the day of the party to help set up. At
the designated time, get the party started and have fun!
More to do Art: Let older children create a frame for the commemorative photo. Fold a
piece of card stock paper in half lengthwise. Have an adult use a utility
knife to cut a square slightly smaller then the size of a Polaroid photo on
one half of the paper. Have the children decorate the frame with stickers
and colored markers. On the day of the festival, tape the Polaroid photos of
each family in a keepsake frame.
Music: If time permits, use this sing-and-respond song to end the
festivities. As the festivities are winding down, gather the children to sing
this song for their parents. The children sing the words and the parents
respond by doing the motions. One week before the festival, teach the
children the song:
If You Love the Little Children (Tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It")
If you love the little children, clap your hands, (clap, clap)
If you love the little children, clap your hands, (clap, clap)
If you love the little children
And you want everyone to know it
If you love the little children, clap your hands. (clap, clap)
(Continue with other verses: stomp your feet, shout "hurray," do all three)