Skateistan Parent and Child Book Picnic

On 12 February 2022, I finally got to see the Skateistan Book Picnic come alive. In December 2021, I fell ill with the flu during the week we were meant to give books to the children for Christmas.

On arrival, the Skateistan precinct was a sea of blue, as educators, parents and children were dressed up in their signature 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 in the air, vibrating from the children and infecting me too, as my mood began to climb upwards. The music was energising, and the parents looked so settled within the space - the same space that their children spend innumerable hours learning life skills, how to skate, and participate in arts and crafts.

I was invited to address the children and their 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 the Boda-Boda Rider”. 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’s activities. 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, giving the educators hugs, and holding 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