It's fun because we're all together! It's fun because parents and children are together!!

Yesterday, our after-school care club held a "fun event" organized by the Parents' Association.

It was a handmade, low-cost, voluntary, and proactive event run by the parents.

It's a bit hard to see because of the glare, sorry!

We set three themes for planning and implementing this event:
1. Creating fun spring memories!
2. Welcoming the new first graders!
3. Fostering friendship among parents!

We planned the content to ensure these goals were achieved.
Due to rain the day before, we had to change the venue to the gymnasium at the last minute.
105 parents and children participated!

Since this is an activity for an after-school care club (after-school children's club), please understand that unlike my usual personal NPO activities, I cannot upload photos that show the details of the activity.
Instead? I'll upload one that I'm in (lol).

Alright!
Now, let the handmade-feel event begin!!

Program number one!
Radio calisthenics!! (lol)

Everyone, spread out for radio calisthenics.
I bet many parents haven't done this in a while, right?
The kids also seem to be having fun being with their friends.

Next up is,
The "Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament"!! (lol)

Simple, right? (lol)

It's a survival-style game against the older kids.
Everyone was happy or sad depending on whether they won or lost (lol).
The winner was presented with a handmade medal to wear around their neck!
We did this 3 times.

Next, we did a slight variation: "Rock-Paper-Scissors Train".

We walked around the venue to music.
When the music stopped, we introduced ourselves to the person we met.
We played rock-paper-scissors, and the loser had to connect to the back of the winner.

The person who kept winning became the head, and it turned into a long, long train.

The train kept getting longer and longer.
Even those who lost and were lined up seemed to be having fun (lol).

It was a sight to behold when 100 people became one single train!! (lol)

A prize was given to the "Rock-Paper-Scissors Champion" who made it to the front!!
We did this 3 times.

Once we've formed a single train, we'll count off 1, 2, 3 to divide into three teams.

Next up is the ball relay.

Teams line up in a single file (vertically) and pass the ball to the person behind them.
At first, they pass the ball from the left, and on the return, they pass it from the right.

With children and adults mixed together, and heights all uneven, everyone cooperated and seemed to have a great time!

Finally, the moment you've been waiting for!
As requested by the children,
it's the dodgeball tournament!!

Thinking there might be a difference in strength depending on the grade level,
it's 2nd and 3rd graders VS the moms.

Even though they are lower graders, the moment they grabbed the ball, their faces turned fierce (lol).
The moms were running around in a panic! (lol)

Halfway through, we add a second ball.
Aaaah!!! (lol)

It was a landslide victory for the children (lol).

Next, we divide the 1st graders and their younger brothers and sisters into two teams for a match.

Even the toddlers who are just learning to walk are joining in.
There are no lines anymore (lol).
There are no teams anymore (lol).

A cute, charming battle ensued (though it wasn't really a battle (lol)).
The result was a draw. (We don't even know who won or lost anymore (lol)).

Finally, the upperclassmen VS the dads!

This is a battle we cannot lose.
It doesn't matter if it's considered unsportsmanlike.
We have to show the dignity of adults.
We have to teach them the harshness of society.
There will be no holding back.

The result was... a crushing defeat for the adults (lol).

The kids are so strong (lol).

So, we held a fun spring event where parents and children could be together.

The content was simple and plain, but
somehow, it was a lot of fun.

The friends seemed to be having fun being together, and
it was somehow fun for the parents and children to be together.

It also became an opportunity for the other parents to get to know each other better.

I think that doing things together like this is probably more fun than the content of the event itself.
It became a very good experience and memory.

Thank you for reading again today.

This is the article from one month ago about the start of the after-school care parents' association.

<Article from 'today' one year ago★>