This year, we continued our collaboration with DSA (Down Syndrome Association). Partnering us in our SSDB Project is SOMOS International Preschool, Japan. Our theme for this year is “Let’s Care and Connect” - to reach out, build relationships and stay connected. We shared ideas with each other regarding an inclusive society, as well as how we involve and conduct activities with children of different learning needs and abilities. These were also incorporated into our daily class activities.
Our first activity was having a ZOOM launch party to kickstart the SSDB Project. The children of E-Bridge Preschool @ Fernvale, DSA and the children of SOMOS International Preschool gained an awareness of different learning needs and a more in-depth knowledge of what Down Syndrome is, in an engaging and interactive way, such as a variety of games and stories. They had a discussion about respecting and celebrating each other’s differences and abilities.
After the launch party, the children at our school and SOMOS International Preschool created a hand and quilt poster respectively, to signify the start of the SSDB project.
Throughout the project, despite the pandemic situation, the children were enthusiastic in a variety of activities, such as creating love boxes (consisting of hand sanitizers, face masks, notes and letters), hand-making brackets from scratch and sending them to DSA, writing letters like a pen pal to SOMOS International Preschool, creating a story for DSA to illustrate and using it to storytell, amongst others. The children were also engaged in art and craft workshops and activities, so as to prepare them for the final art exhibition as a culminating event for this project.
Writing notes and Creating a story
Love boxes
Writing letters of encouragement to a pen pal
Creating paper mache from recycled paper
Each of us certainly gained something from this project - to love, respect, include, care, reach out and/or to connect with each other in our own special way. Each of us can make a difference.
