News / Nunn Road / 2023 / April 2023

Dear parents,

The children were very excited when we announced that we would celebrate New Life/Easter the next day. Everyone arrived at Nania earlier as they did not want to miss the puppet show.

To begin the celebration, the teachers presented a puppet show about the friendship between a caterpillar and a girl. The children started to sing the “Butterfly” song when they saw the puppet butterfly, which was the caterpillar, dancing happily with the little girl. After the puppet show, children gathered in the dining hall to colour Easter eggs, which they brought home.

Later, the children went out to hunt for the big and small Easter eggs in our garden. They eagerly searched through the garden and excitedly piled up their ‘rewards’ in a basket. The big children helped to shell the eggs. Those eggs were served during our lunch.

As we mentioned in the last newsletter, Easter celebration at Nania is about the celebration of new life. This year, we planted water spinach in our garden corner. We will wait for the right time to harvest them.

Some children enjoyed the puppet show so much that they also role-played as puppeteers during the free play time. They used the spoons and string to make caterpillars, and they used string to tie on a lid to be butterflies. They made up their stories and showed them to younger children. It was amazing to look at their creativity and power of imitation.

In the month of May, both Boys’ Day, an annual celebrated festival for families in Japan, and Mothers’ day await us. Thus, the children are now busily preparing the crafts to take home for both occasions. Making crafts like folding samurai hats, making koinobori, weaving cards and making flowers are helpful for young children’s fingers to be nimble.

Another event will be Sports Day, which has been scheduled for the 21^st of May (Sunday). Please keep that date free to join your child/children for a morning of family fun in the Penang Japanese School hall. Please come on time on that morning as the children’s presentation will start at 9.00a.m. The song sheet was sent out earlier in March. Perhaps you have heard your children singing some songs from the Sport Day. Mothers of big children are invited to be Sports Day committee. We will have a meeting on the 9^th of May ( Tuesday) at 3pm. The day’s programme will be distributed in few days after the meeting. Please take note that there will be a replacement rest day after the Sports Day.

Teacher Thian & Teacher Ang

Kodomo-no-hi / Boys’ Day (8^th May)

It is a Japanese custom for families with boys to put up the koinobori, or carp streamers, in their garden or on the roof on this day. The koinobori carps appear to be swimming vigorously against the current as they flutter in the wind. This symbolizes that boys should face and overcome their personal challenges with the same positive spirit. This year at Nania, we celebrate this event on 8^th May 2013. The children will make a koinobori and a Samurai hat as part of their class activities and take them home on that day. Our own koinobori carps are display in the festival corner.