Recently, all Year 5 students at Century Park Campus participated in a special three-day, two-night camp experience. Throughout the trip, the Upper Primary students participated in numerous teambuilding games and activities. By engaging as teams, the students supported each other in a fun, collaborative, and interactive environment that kept them physically and mentally active throughout their experience.

Through fun team games like “Bin Ball”, “Chain Tag”, and “Drain Ball”, the Primary students worked together co-operatively to help encourage one another to complete a collective task. The students also participated in a “Balancing Bridges” challenge and a “Hero Run” obstacle course, where each activity required both physical endurance and problem solving skills. In the Hero Run challenge, the students had to work together to carry a plastic cup of water across the course. At the end, the remaining water was measured to see which teams had been able to work together best to complete the course.

Throughout the three days, the students also participated in a range of explorative activities, including a “Photo Scavenger Hunt” that let students showcase their personalities and sense of humour. The resulting slideshow that featured their photos was definitely a highlight of the first evening’s entertainment. The following day, a trip to a neighbouring water town allowed the children to have the chance to explore the local history and to use the Chinese skills they have developed in class to speak with local people about life in the water town.

And going camping wouldn’t be complete without a tent! The Year 5 students enjoyed the opportunity to sleep outdoors at the campsite in a real tent. The students also had the chance to work together to help set up the tents and arrange them at the campsite. With oversight and support from their teachers and camp leaders, the students even learnt techniques to build a campfire. When evening came, the entire group enjoyed a delicious barbeque and sang songs around the campfire.

Special events, like the Year 5 Camp, help students at YCIS develop a well-rounded set of life skills, as well as their independence, as they prepare for the Secondary programme. To learn more about the holistic education curriculum for Primary students at YCIS Shanghai, click here.