Skateistan Parent and Child Book Picnic

On 12 February 2022, I finally got to see the Skateistan Book Picnic for children and their parents come alive. In December 2021, I fell ill with the flu in the week we were meant to gift the children with books as their Christmas gifts.

On arrival, the Skateistan Precinct was a sea of blue as educators, parents and children were dressed up in blue t-shirts. My daughter and I were also gifted with t-shirts, and we began to meet the children and parents.

I could feel the excitement vibrating from the children into the air and infecting me too as my mood began to climb upwards. The music was energising and the parents looked so settled with being in the space their children spend innumerable hours learning how to skate, being taught arts, crafts, and life skills.

I was invited to address the children and parents before the marathon of book reading circles began. The best part was getting the children excited about treating books as toys and seeing the smiles on their faces when I said that each of them would receive a title of each book and one for their parents too.

Those smiles grew wider as parents and older siblings were invited to join the reading circles and I could almost see the children floating on small pockets of euphoria.

I sat in a reading circle of boys, and we read Amani. My daughter read to a mixed group of boys and girls. Skateistan educators, Skateistan Board Members and parents were all fully engaged in the day. Parents who were not reading to children sat quietly and read the parenting book to themselves, devouring every word as their eyes raced across each page.

When the day ended, the children were so happy as they gave the educators hugs and held onto their parents as they walked out of the skate park.

It was an incredible day! I can’t wait to do it again and again with other communities.

Written by Gabriel and Michael, Skateistan Communications, South Africa.