Outings during holiday time

Over the holidays we took small groups out to explore the world around them. It felt so good to be have the opportunity to be going places! One outing included a tour of the African Musical Instruments factory in Grahamstown. We saw how marimbas and other traditional African musical instruments are made, learned a lot about the qualities of different woods, and had an opportunity to learn about and play many of the instruments. Another outing was a stay and tour of Amakhala Game Reserve. The children received educational lessons about plants and animals and went on a guided game drive. It was absolutely awe-inspiring to see elephants up close, hippos, giraffes, tortoises, various types of buck and many other animals. Eating at a restaurant was a real treat and special experience for the children during every excursion. So much to see, taste, enjoy, learn and discuss! Taking a boat ride for the first time at Port St Francis was a bit scary at first but then a real thrill. The children absolutely loved the experience of being on the open sea, seeing bird life and seals. We spent time marveling at all the different boats in the harbor. The children enjoyed the freedom, space, water, shells, smells and sun on the beach. A visit to the arts and crafts market was a dream world coming to be a reality. The kids couldn't believe all of the different things that they saw and tasted. For the YOUPSA team it was incredibly heartwarming to see the bonding and building of new friendships between the children, the joyful sharing of experiences and feelings.