10th Annual Children Holiday Camp
Shaping proper behaviour is an important aspect of educating and caring for children and it is necessary to develop strategies to assist children to learn appropriate behaviours. Children learn how to socialize with others through observation and imitation. In other words, they are intrinsically drawn towards play and learn through such experiences. They possess an internal motivation to try new things and copy the behaviours of others. A child’s development is enhanced when they are encouraged to explore these new skills through play and rewarded intrinsically by feeling a sense of accomplishment, which inspires further positive learning and behaviours.
Here’s a quote from our President of Blossom World Society, Mr Daren Ong on the importance of instilling a positive mindset which is essential to the formation of appropriate behaviours in children:
Gratitude is a powerful thing. It makes us aware of all the opportunities and privileges that we have. It shows us the beauty in our everyday dealings with people, and in the chance encounters that we might otherwise have overlooked. It motivates us to be better human beings because we’ve been on the receiving end of kindness. It also act as reminders when we are in desperate situations, that we are loved and cared for and we should never give up on ourselves.
Gratitude, is a mindset that needs to be instilled in our children during their most impressionable ages, along with the values of filial piety, kindness, moral judgment, ethical conduct, confidence and empathy. I’d like to thank all of you here today for finding resonance in our philosophy. It is because of our common belief in these good and true values that Blossom World Society is able to have the camp running into its 10th year. It would not have been possible without the support of many passionate volunteers, who believe in the potential of these young children, as well as the support of all of you parents, who are very wise to believe in the values that we teach at our camp.
The theme for this camp is “A better world for all”. I’m going to quote in Chinese a verse from The Great Learning, by Confucius, 古之欲明明德于天下者，先治其国；欲治其国者，先齐其家； 欲齐其家者，先修其身；欲修其身者，先正其心；欲正其心者， 先诚其意；欲诚其意者，先致其知；致知在格物。 It translates to this: The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost of their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.
The central teaching is this. A better world for all, begins at home, begins from ourselves, our hearts and our thoughts. So let this be a reminder to us, that as parents and teachers, we should practice the values, before we pass them down to our children. Let what we do in the next two days, be a continued effort towards “A better world for all”.
Research has shown that the taking on of different roles allows children unique opportunities to learn crucial cognitive and social skills such as communication, problem solving, and empathy (Hughes, 1999).
This year, in our 10th Annual Children Holiday Camp, our Theme is: A Better World For All. As our world is changing and becoming increasingly complex, it is of great importance to help our young to develop practical skills for mindfulness and to learn how to cope with the changes as well as becoming agents for social change through a process-oriented approach. Through a variety of activities centered on drama, children explore the use of drama strategies to establish relationships between different characters, understand different types of situations and come up with numerous ideas to solve problems which arise in these situations.
Look at our children, the Junior and the Senior group having so much fun on day 1! Having small group discussions, expressing different emotions using their bodies, role playing, creating scenarios.
Day 2 of the camp, the long-awaited performance put by the children.
In the family engagement segment, parents participated alongside their children to co-create their image of a better world through different artistic mediums.
Look at what they have drawn!
“This is a drawing of our city with lots of greenery and it’s self sufficient city with lots of animals and birds. And it’s a better world for all people to stay.” - Kalyen, 9 years old
“This is Iain’s interpretation of a better world, he says he is not good at drawing and he folded into a plane”, Iain’s mum.
“ A better world for all is to make a beautiful plane with lots of colours and this represent a city, safe and full with lots of colours so that everybody can go anywhere safely. - Iain, 9 yrs old
“With all these fruit trees, other than self sufficient, he will share these fruits with others for a better world” - Parents & Edan, 5 yrs old
’There are humans, animals, trees, fruits and everybody live together harmony.“Alexis, 5 years old
“We drew a hot air balloon so that we can go around the world and give help to people who are in needs. At the same time, all the birds with hearts, we want to bring the love to everybody, whenever we go around we want them to know that we care for them.” - Mother & Kai Xin, 10 yrs old.
"Today I’m quite touched is that it is my first time sitting with my girl to do drawing." shared by Kai Xin’s mum.
Message from Ms Soh Geok Kee, Hon Chairman of Kallang CCMC: “Young children, I hope that you will remember what u said today about wanting to keep the environment as beautiful as possible for yourselves, your family and for other people who will come in the later years. Make sure that when you grow up, you are in a career in which you will have the chance to create a better environment, be it planting trees, be it education teaching younger people, teaching people to be kind to another people.”
For many decades, global warming has been intensifying due to massive deforestation. Destruction of the homes of wildlife ensued. However, with the help of those who wish to create a better world, Mother Earth has a shot at rejuvenation. Creating a better world begins from possessing courage, confidence and the proper values in ourselves. A huge thank you and thumbs up to all volunteers who have planted the seeds of hope in these kids. Through this camp, these kids forged friendships with like-minded people and took the first step with their parents to create a better world for all.
Blossom World Society is very happy to work closely with children, parents and also volunteers in all editions of the Children Holiday Camp throughout our 10-year journey. Special thanks to our dedicated volunteers Mdm Leow Mei Mei and Mr Jeremy Ng who have been rendering their volunteering services in the Children Holiday Camp right from the start.
"What makes me want to be a volunteer is that I feel that I can make a difference to children and to learn. In the way that I can learn the moral values such as being filial to the parents and helping one another. So actually I see some of our campers from the past camp they actually came back to become our volunteers, so I hope that I can see more of these children coming back to become one of our volunteers in the future, so that make me want to volunteer for this camp." - Jeremy who started volunteering at the age of 18.
Indeed, the Children Holiday Camp is one of programme not just for children’s development but also a learning ground for our youths to lead and serve. We absolutely look forward to having more of the younger generations join the big family of Blossom World Society.
See you next year!
