We paid attention on Halloween!
Autumn break is here and All Saints’ Day is approaching. Group 1 from Szentes had a very complex project day, where we tried to focus on our most topical “Milestones”.
“For the next session of our self-awareness series, we introduced our current mindfulness exercises with a stroop test that at first seemed a little strange and deliberately deceptive. Then, through more games and assessment discussions, the children learned about the importance of auditory and visual, selective and divided attention, among others, and how to develop these skills and who should use which. Emphasis was also placed on strategies to eliminate the factors that cause difficulties in everyday learning and to increase motivation, as these are unfortunately present in many people’s lives. The team was active, eager to take on the challenges of games and tasks, and coordinated in their efforts to respond to activities aimed at joint attention.” -Dorottya Kékegyi, volunteer, session leader
“At the end of the session, we saw to the preparation of our lunch, the dessert of which was, in due course, pumpkin pie. The lunch was prepared by the hands in the kitchen, which were getting more and more routine, but in the meantime the team was also treated to an unusual history lesson: we got our heads straight about the holiday cycle we are facing, what we need to know about All Saints’ Day, Day of the Dead and Halloween. Almost everyone was surprised to learn about the history of the holidays, the origins of the traditions and the path that led to their continuation today. Several folk customs specific to the Southern Great Plain were also discussed, such as the baking of beggar’s cakes and the ringing of the Tápé bell. One of the leitmotifs of the presentation was the pumpkin itself – because, although it is hard to imagine, it is this crop that links the ancient with the new in this theme.”
“We started the day with a mindfulness session, where we focused on mindfulness – we learned through play how to develop it. After a short break we prepared lunch and pumpkin dessert. While it was baking, Sanya Bá gave an educational presentation during which we separated All Saints’ Day, Day of the Dead and Halloween. The food we prepared together turned out to be very good and delicious. Kitti Hajdú, the group’s representative in the Children’s Parliament, reported on the events of the last session and then we brainstormed together about the motto for the I am who I am and Colour your world! Afterwards, we also talked about the issues the group felt were important. We had a great time and we think everyone had a good time” – Vanda Horváth, Sándor Molnár Ákos.
More pictures in the Gallery: