Global Outdoors

The Festival

On 17^th June 2008 we embarked on our biggest venture yet. We decided to hold a Water Festival inviting a larger span of children 6-15 year olds. This would be matched by all our Woodcraft Folk groups from ages 6-15 years.

       The aim of the evening was threefold:

•Ø           To introduce the Thai Water Festival and show how it is celebrated historically and in the present day.

•Ø           To explore water conservation and the value of water in our environment.

•Ø           To encourage children from different cultures to have fun together.

To this end we had a number of Thai women introducing us to the reasons for the Thai Water Festival & what happens during that period in Thailand. One of them was dressed in traditional costume & showed the group how the Festival begins.

      We then divided the group of 60 children into 4 smaller groups to experience different kinds of games & activities all with the theme of water.

The activities were as follows:

1. Games involving throwing balloons filled with water until they burst all over the participants.

2. Apple ducking contest & suck the floating Malteser out of the water.

3. Obstacle course carrying buckets of water.

4. Conservation of water & exploring value of water in all cultures using games to highlight the issues.

All the children had a chance to have a go at all the activities.

We finished with a GRAND FINALE where the children sprayed each other with water using water pistols & super soakers, buckets & bowls. The only thing that stopped them was a drink and a chocolate biscuit.

By the end of the session I felt that we had fulfilled successfully all three of our aims and by the excitement felt amongst all the children & the squeals of laughter being heard particularly aim 3 - having fun together.

A number of children commented on the activities all being based on water in particular liking the water conservation activity, led by CDEC, because it had a message whilst having fun and was well organised and presented.

Overall considering the amount of children & young people involved in this event it went very smoothly. A special thank you goes to the following people who made the event happen:

Cultural Exchange parents

Donika Begaj ) organisers

Jo-Ann Saltiga)

Thai women & friends : Nok, Top, Muoy, Ying, Tik, Keith, Pall & Jamie

Woodcraft Folk parents

Helen Barker   )  Elfin leaders 6-9 years

Sarah Redhead)

Peter Allonby    ) Pioneer leaders 10-12 years

Jonathan Bryson)

Melanie Worgan) Venturer leaders 13-16 years

Judy Filmore      )

Helen Hall - refreshments & helping with games

Alicen Clark - water re-fill station & provider of paddling pool

Cumbria Development Education Centre

Gina Mullarkey Senior Global Education Officer