After school programs to inspire children & youth

For the entire month of September, we celebrated our annual Olympic Games. We started with the history of ancient Olympic games, tried a demonstration of discus throwing, also we made olive branch crowns with the children. Then we discussed the modern Olympics. We watched videos of recent Olympic games. We made 5 different teams based on the colors of the Olympic rings. Our volunteers from Hungary ,Germany, Spain, United States and of course Ecuador represented their country. The Opening Ceremony was exciting.

Then we practiced a lot with the kids the different sports (running, relay, archery, long jump, football) ot the beach. It was fantastic how the kids took the competition seriously. Of course, we always said that the most important thing is to enjoy the game. In the Closing Ceremony the children received medals for their participation. The children read books about cooperation, team work, generosity and fair play.

In October and November, we focused on the theme: “Legends of Ecuador”. The kids were a bit spooked and really attentive to the different legends they listen in Club de Niños such as: “La Mano Negra”, “La Dama Tapada”, “La Leyenda de Etsa”, “La madre Goyita”, “La Caja Ronca”, “El duende”, “El Padre Almeida”, “Las Brujas Blancas” and in our monthly event “Érase una vez”, the kids presented the puppets show “La Leyenda de Etsa” in October, and “Davilara, el Rey de la Bomba” in November.

Also in October, the children had fun with Adam y Eva, performed by a traveling couple of actors from Switzerland. The play was very entertaining, and the children were laughing their way through most of it. At the end of October, Club de Niños make activities about the Halloween and The Day of the Dead.

In October, Club de Jóvenes students traveled to Ayampe to watch the release of some endangered Papagayo birds, Green Macaws, into the wild as part of our focus on learning about the native birds of Manabi province. Also, they spent this month learning all about local endangered sea turtles coming to Puerto Lopez to nest each year.

We will let you know soon about December and our Christmas celebration.