Written by President, Te Candano
As we end the merry month of May, the team from U! Happy Events trooped on over to SOS Children’s Village in Alabang for another fun activity in celebration of Ate Chiqui’s birthday. We gathered 30 kids from SOS for an afternoon they will surely remember. Joining us for the afternoon are Ate Chiqui and her friends and relatives. We started the event by forming groups with the kids joined by their partner Ates and Kuyas. To break the ice, we had a getting to know you activity for the groups to get further acquainted with each other. They introduced themselves, gave their favorite summer activity and what they will miss the most about summer since school is just around the corner. The group excitedly chatted away sharing the information with each other. Majority of the kids will miss being able to play their favorite outdoor sports during summer (ie soccer, swimming, etc). There was one Kuya who mentioned that he will miss the summer heat!
After everyone felt comfortable with each other, we decided to play a few games. First off was a group game that requires everyone to dance. We simply call this game Dance Showdown where a popular song will be played and they just have to dance/do choreography to the song. It was fun to see the kids leading the dance moves for new tunes while the volunteers would take the lead for older tunes like YMCA by the Village People. After 5 rounds of dancing, Team Sparta won. The next game we prepared for them is the Shape Me Up game. Teams were tasked to form different shapes using their hands as the host gives out clues on the needed shapes. This game really brings out the creativity in everyone since even a shape like a STAR can have different interpretations from the groups. Team Gangster emerged as winners for this game.
Having two very physical games, it was time for the group to relax and watch a show. Just for Ate Chiqui’s birthday, we invited the Daang Hari Acrobats to entertain the crowd which they did with ease. The performance drew shrieks from the crowd with the acrobates performing different high energy stunts. There was never a dull moment as they also made the kids and kids at heart laugh with their funny antics. The kids even participated in their acts as they were asked to hold props for their stunt. After the show, we went on the last game which was Paint Me a Picture. We really wanted to focus on group games to give more chances for the kids and volunteers to further bond. That was exactly what they did as we gave them different scenarios they need to act out like Fiesta, Amusement Park, School and much more. Team Power won this game since they really utilized all the members of their group and gave the best ‘pictures” for every round.
As the afternoon was winding down, everyone was feeling the hunger from all the various activities we did. Good thing we prepared Jollibee food for everyone to enjoy. It was thrilling to see the volunteers and kids eating together and chatting away as if they were old acquaintances. A special surprise was in store as everyone was treated to ice cream for dessert and cupcakes! We couldnt end the afternoon without acknowledging the birthday girl. We surprised Ate Chiqui with a birthday song and had her blow the candle on her cupcake. She also thanked everyone for such a memorable birthday. She continued sharing her blessings as she distributed school bags and school supplies to the delight of the kids. A perfect back to school present indeed. The group ended with picture taking with the kids giving tight hugs to their Ates and Kuyas as we said “See you next time!” to the kids. For sure, whenever we visit SOS Children’s Village, the kids know that we always bring in the fun to every celebration. It makes them always look forward to our visits.
If you wish to celebrate your birthdays with us, visit www.uhappyevents.com/create for more details. We hope you make your birthday different this year by creating your happy event with us.