Songs, Games, Plays, Films, Stories, Arts And Crafts Among 875 Fun Activities For Kids

The 2014 Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) will feature more than 875 fun activities for children when it comes to the Expo Centre Sharjah from the 15th-25th April.

This 11-day celebration of play – just a fraction of the 1694 discussions, demonstrations, workshops and other activities scheduled for the SCRF – is the largest ever put together by the Festival’s directors and reflects their pledge that this year, in which Sharjah celebrates being named the Capital Of Islamic Culture, should be the year the SCRF reaches the highest fulfillment of its original aim: to delight children, while engaging all parts of the community in the Emirate’s thriving cultural scene.

Speaking on this occasion, Hind Abdullah Lenaid, General Coordinator of the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, said, " “The Children's Reading Festival would not have succeeded and continued without the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs .

Lenaid added ":There is no doubt that the Kids Programme carries a great deal of educational value, and hence the Management of the Children's reading Festival has been keen to support teachers and students' efforts by providing them with necessary information about the Programme's activities, which will be performed in an entertaining manner, hoping that will achieve the required goals, rise to the everyone's aspirations, and achieve the desired success."

Each of the 11 days of the festival will see many separate children’s activities taking place from morning to evening. Children will hear stories and songs, watch plays and fun demonstrations, play games and sports, learn simple arts and crafts, improve their maths and science knowledge, enter fun competitions, explore the possibilities of photography and calligraphy, learn about health, food, safety and respect for each other, watch movies and, of course, enjoy reading from the huge range of books on offer at the festival.

Authors, educators, entertainers and experts in child welfare from around the world will bring their special knowledge to Sharjah in a series of fun workshops and seminars.

For example, Sweden’s Anna Karen and Hanna Anderson will teach children how to make short animations using paper cut-outs, modeling clay, their own toys and photographs from magazines or from home. An experimental course in iPad animation is also offered. David Buttery, who specializes in communicating science to 6-15 year-olds, will present a film about the solar system complete with a ‘hidden treasure’ quiz, with prizes for the most attentive.

Dr Mahir Bahlol, a specialist in teaching foreign languages through video projects, will be teaching children the basics of visual storytelling, by inviting them to create a six-scene storyboard for other children to film.

Award-winning Tunisian artist Ridha Hfayedh will be guiding children through the creation of simple mosaics based on their names or pleasing shapes. Maths teacher Sadoq Kitari will be showing participants of all ages that maths is nothing to be afraid of but can be a sort of joyful game.

Storyteller Cassandra Wye, inspired by the Asian interweaving of art forms, will combine elements of circus, theatre and dance to tell enchanting stories for children of all ages. And ventriloquist, puppeteer, magician and clown Sahbi Daoud will be delighting children throughout the Festival with performances, games and contests.

These are just a small selection of the hundreds of children’s activities scheduled for the sixth Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival. Children will also meet and talk with some of the world’s top children’s writers and be inspired by the possibilities of books and writing.

Emirate:  Sharjah

Date: Apr 6, 2014

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