EARLY START: Summer fun for children

CEBU, Philippines - Summer is here once again. This is the time of year when children don’t have classes and spend more time at home-time to explore their own interests and unlimited time for play. From now until end of May, they don’t have school work, deadlines, and schedules to follow. This is the opportunity for making beautiful memories with friends and neighbors and for endless adventures. 

This and the coming weeks, we will be sharing ideas on how you can help summer be one where your children grow in mind, body, and spirit.

This week, we consulted Grace Ferreros, school head of St. Michael’s Play Garden, a school applying the Steiner Waldorf philosophy in Cebu City.

Rudolf Steiner, founder of Steiner Waldorf education, recommended out-of-school programs for kids.

“It would serve the children best if they could explore nature, have free play indoors and outdoors and explore, discover and learn about the world with nature around them and with trained educators who know how to guide them in their development,” she said.

“We want children to have happy memories of summer and also acquire wonder about nature and the world. For summer, we let them breathe out, run, laugh, play, and enjoy their childhood, be children while they are still children,” she added.

Ferreros said children have enough sitting down at school that instead of staying put playing with iPads or cellphones or computers, it is more important for them to exercise their bodies.

Steiner stressed that different activities be offered to children, that the school staff must take an interest in them, become like children themselves and make them laugh. He said that to let children “get things off their chest” is good for their health. He also suggested games, acting, and pottery. (Rudolf Steiner’s Conferences with the Teachers of the Waldorf School in Stuttgart 1919-1920,Volume I, p. 65, December 22, 1919.)

For those who cannot bring their kids outdoors or spend summer playing with them, St. Michael’s Play Garden offers fun experiences for children in a safe, natural environment. It has indoor games and outdoor play in a large garden with trained educators who truly care for the holistic development of children. The school also gives adults the opportunity to grow and learn how to better support their children. The summer activities include the following:

Playcamp

For ages 3 ½ to 6/April 3–May 17; Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Indoor and outdoor play, artistic activities, and meaningful work together with weekly field trips and nature walk take place in the company of trained early childhood educators. Maximum of 15 children.

Parent-Toddler Group

For ages 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 / April 8–May 17; Monday to Friday 9 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

A time for parents to get together and learn arts and crafts, while their children play freely, explore the safe and natural environment, and learn songs and verses. Maximum of 10 children.

Music Or Art 1:1

April 3–May 17 / Monday to Friday; one hour per session. Schedules are flexible.

Individual lessons in Piano, Recorder, Ukelele, Basic Guitar, Voice and Drawing, Wet-on-wet Watercolor Painting, Mural Painting, with time set aside for play. Limited slots only.

Practical Arts

For grade school and high school/ April 11–May 14/ Tuesday-Thursday at 10:30 a.m.–12 noon

Students learn different skills that challenge their minds and hands while developing their creativity, sense of independence, and self-sufficiency.

Wall climbing (with danny ebrada of baruto paddlers)

For ages 7–10 / May 6–17/ Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. (4 sessions) at St. Michael’s Village

Children experience fun and excitement as they develop courage, physical strength, and sense of balance in learning to climb the wall with an experienced adventure educator.

Learning to learn

For grade school and high school / April 8 – May 27 / Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9 a.m.–10:30 a.m.

Students learn different skills that challenge their minds and hands while developing their creativity, sense of independence, and self-sufficiency.

Parent and teacher training

April  16 – May 9 / Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday / 2 p.m.–5 p.m.  (12 sessions)

Workshops provide insights to parents and teachers on child development from a spiritual-scientific point of view and also allow them to understand their roles in supporting healthy development of children from birth to 16 years old.

Learn more about summer classes at St. Michael’s Play Garden, Banilad, Cebu City. Please contact Gwen or Gingging at 415-0382 and 0932-886-3041, check their website www.stmichaelplaygarden.com, or visit them on Facebook – saintmichaelsplaygarden, or e-mail at stmichaelsplaygarden @gmail.com. (FREEMAN)