Sports Day 2018
Preschool
October 13, 2018
On September 30, a typhoon was approaching Yokohama and the weather was unsettled, but we held Sports Day in the gym of a nearby elementary school. That summer had been unusually hot, and concerns about heat illness limited outdoor practice. Instead, children prepared through indoor play and everyday routines. They marched to the toilets in a line while imitating whistle sounds, and practiced relay baton passes as part of simple indoor games.
Sports Day began with the opening ceremony. The children looked confident as they marched into the gym in time with the whistle.
For the first time, we included an athletes’ oath, delivered in English by Mountain class (age 4).
Everyone joined in The Monkey Dance for our warm-up. It was a favorite from English lessons, so children from every class enjoyed dancing together.
The student races began with Ocean class (age 2), followed by Jungle (age 3) and Mountain (age 4). Children ran as fast as they could toward the finish tape. Even those who fell got up and kept trying.
Class activities followed. Ocean children passed through animal-face gates, chose the food that animal likes from a plate and headed for the finish. Their delighted faces brought smiles to the whole room.
That year, a physical education instructor had begun visiting Jungle and Mountain twice a month. At Sports Day, the children demonstrated the forward rolls they practiced in those lessons, drawing impressed cheers from their families.
Many parents from each class joined the tug-of-war. Kyohei and Kevin, CGK’s strongest staff member, also joined as helpers in judo uniforms. Watching their parents work hard, the children cheered loudly from their seats.
The parent-and-child activities that followed were lively too, with many families taking part. We hope everyone’s muscles felt all right the next day! Thank you for joining in so enthusiastically.
The final major event was the Jungle and Mountain relay. Children had practiced many rules: following the course, passing the baton to a waiting friend and starting promptly after receiving it. Everyone ran with all their effort, encouraged by loud cheers from parents. Through practice, the children had begun to feel both the joy of winning and the disappointment of losing. Some who lost said, “I will try hard next time!” We believe learning to experience and respond to these feelings will be important as they grow.
Different schools have different aims for Sports Day. For this event, CGK’s focus was on helping children enjoy moving their bodies with friends and discover the fun of physical play.
At the closing ceremony, every child received a shining medal in recognition of their efforts.
We look forward to seeing how these new experiences in movement and activities contribute to the children’s continued growth.
Sports Day began with the opening ceremony. The children looked confident as they marched into the gym in time with the whistle.
For the first time, we included an athletes’ oath, delivered in English by Mountain class (age 4).
Everyone joined in The Monkey Dance for our warm-up. It was a favorite from English lessons, so children from every class enjoyed dancing together.
The student races began with Ocean class (age 2), followed by Jungle (age 3) and Mountain (age 4). Children ran as fast as they could toward the finish tape. Even those who fell got up and kept trying.
Class activities followed. Ocean children passed through animal-face gates, chose the food that animal likes from a plate and headed for the finish. Their delighted faces brought smiles to the whole room.
That year, a physical education instructor had begun visiting Jungle and Mountain twice a month. At Sports Day, the children demonstrated the forward rolls they practiced in those lessons, drawing impressed cheers from their families.
Many parents from each class joined the tug-of-war. Kyohei and Kevin, CGK’s strongest staff member, also joined as helpers in judo uniforms. Watching their parents work hard, the children cheered loudly from their seats.
The parent-and-child activities that followed were lively too, with many families taking part. We hope everyone’s muscles felt all right the next day! Thank you for joining in so enthusiastically.
The final major event was the Jungle and Mountain relay. Children had practiced many rules: following the course, passing the baton to a waiting friend and starting promptly after receiving it. Everyone ran with all their effort, encouraged by loud cheers from parents. Through practice, the children had begun to feel both the joy of winning and the disappointment of losing. Some who lost said, “I will try hard next time!” We believe learning to experience and respond to these feelings will be important as they grow.
Different schools have different aims for Sports Day. For this event, CGK’s focus was on helping children enjoy moving their bodies with friends and discover the fun of physical play.
At the closing ceremony, every child received a shining medal in recognition of their efforts.
We look forward to seeing how these new experiences in movement and activities contribute to the children’s continued growth.
Madoka