To equip kids to be more environmentally conscious and live sustainably, they first need to understand the intrinsic beauty and of value nature, and why every person has the responsibility to protect it. SST’s holiday clubs and coastal excursions aim to do just that: instil a sense of stewardship and love for the marine environment through fun, practical, educational activities that engage all their senses.
SST recently hosted its first holiday club (28 – 30 April) and marine excursion (5 May) since the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic. These events were educational – of course – but also enriching and lots of fun.
The holiday club, hosted in partnership with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), entertained and educated about 30 children (aged 6 to 12) per day, over a three-day period. During the event, children were enthralled by the penguins housed at SANCCOB, and taught about the special adaptations of seabirds and how SANCCOB helps to protect them. The children were also introduced to the SST recycling deposit, Munch, and, because actions speak louder than words, SST held a beach clean-up at Cape Recife with the club attendees.
The children were also taught about the manufacture of plastics, the negative impacts of plastic pollution, and ways to reduce waste, through fun activities such as Trash Bash and SST’s new educational game, Sovityo.
Speaking about the event, SANCCOB Education Supervisor Taryn Joshua said: “The joint holiday club, with a wonderful education team, was an enjoyable and exciting opportunity to evoke some environmental awareness and appreciation in the children that attended.”
Exploring the Beach with the Little Lambs
For some of the 23 youngsters (aged 3 to 6) from Little Lambs Pre-School, their first visit to the beach during our marine excursion proved a bit overwhelming initially. For others, the strange sensation of sand between their toes prompted squeals of delight. Before long, everyone was having fun building sandcastles, playing educational games, and being introduced to live beach animals (yes, there are many creepy-crawlies hiding beneath the sand).
Both the holiday club and marine excursion were a great success. Already, parents and teachers are inquiring about the next events. Several more marine excursions are planned for this year, while the next holiday club will take place in the second semester.
If you are keen to know more about these events, or want to learn more about SST’s other environmental clubs, contact the SST Education team via email at education@sstafrica.org.za.