Shanghai Utsukushigaoka Montessori Kindergarten assists in the growth of children by the educational idea of Montessori

As the month of July rolled around, the International Department at Meiqiu organized a variety of activities. The Blue Group participated in an unforgettable Graduation Ceremony and Sleep Over Activity, which was a great  ending time at Meiqiu. Let's take a look at the photos!

Water Play

It was time for the children's long-awaited water play day! After changing into their cool swimsuits, the teachers led the children to the fourth floor terrace. In the inflatable pool, the children enjoyed playing with the water, and the little friends grabbed the small water bottles and the small water gun, and chased after each other to have fun.

Tanabata 

On the annual Tanabata Festival, the children of the International Department once again experienced the interesting Japanese culture. Under the guidance of the teacher, the children carefully pasted the Tanabata decorations prepared in the craft class onto the bamboo branches. A green bamboo gradually became colorful.

As a group activity, the characteristics of mixed-age grouping in Montessori education were also reflected. After finishing their own decorations, the older blue group students helped their younger friends in the class to finish their own works. Each “little teacher” patiently taught them by hand, while the children also helped each other, and they all worked together to complete the beautiful Tanabata bamboo branch decoration.

Children from Pudong Campus also completed their own Tanabata Festival bamboo decorations in their classrooms. At the end, everyone held up their work in their hands and happily waved the colorful bamboo, leaving a special group photo of the summer together.

Graduation

Time came to the day of the graduation ceremony. The children in the blue group put on their little white gowns and first came to the classroom to make preparations before the ceremony. Teachers from the International Department put on lovely corsages for the graduates. Good friends were together to spend a reading time in their usual familiar classrooms.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the principal of the kindergarten gave the graduates blessings, and then presented the graduation certificates. So our children have officially graduated at this moment! Mothers and fathers of the blue group recorded this memorable moment with their cameras.

Next was the children's long-rehearsed performance of poems and songs in English and Chinese. Everyone sang out loud and confidently in front of the teachers as well as the moms and dads. The final musical instrument performance and song “Hello Tomorrow” expressed the children's hopes and aspirations for their future.

As the melody ended and the ceremony drew to a close, the teachers presented the graduates with bouquets of blessed flowers. The graduates also presented flower baskets to the teachers who had patiently guided and witnessed their growth to express their small gratitude in their hearts.

At the end of the day, the graduates took unforgettable pictures with their best friends, teachers and their families. Children, please take all  you have gained at Meiqiu and keep moving forward! We wish you all the best in your future and welcome you back to the kindergarten!

Sleep Over

The Blue Group's grand finale, Sleep Over, is here! This activity aims to cultivate the children's spirit of self-reliance, enhance their self-confidence in living independently, as well as strengthen the concept of group life and cooperation. In the afternoon, the children were guided by the teacher to use a knife to prepare the ingredients for the dinner. They carefully cut carrots and made their own contribution to the dinner.

A sunny day is certainly not without water play. Children put on their swimming suits and had water fights on the rooftop lawn, where the cool drops of water took away the summer heat.

Dinner time is here. The children put their hands together and sang the “Pre-meal Thanksgiving Song”, giving thanks to all creatures in earth for giving them food, and at the same time thanking themselves for their efforts in preparing today's dinner. And the special dessert ice cream at the end of the meal made the children happy.

After dinner, the children came to the multi-media classroom to watch English cartoons together, and then played with toys in the classroom with their buddies, enjoying the leisure time after dinner.

As night fell, the children from the International Department joined the Japanese Department in the Music Hall. They listened to the story of the origin of fire told by the teacher. Afterwards, they lit torches around a bonfire.

After the bonfire, the teachers set off tiny fireworks outside, adding a little light to the summer evening. The children were also mesmerized by the beautiful fireworks, their cute faces reflecting the burning glow of the fireworks.

Early the next morning, the kindergarten held a Japanese-style watermelon cutting game, in which the children took turns walking blindfolded towards the watermelon under the guidance of the group and using the sticks in their hands to smash the watermelon. At the end of the day, the children were able to taste the sweet watermelon that belongs to summer. We wish everyone a cool and enjoyable summer!