Encouraging engagement and learning

Balancing what kids need, what kids like and how children develop is key to how we build and deliver our kids activities. 

Activities for kids in Singapore frequently focus on how children succeed without considering what kids need, what kids like and how children learn best. 

The activities for kids and Singapore school holiday programmes at Get GungHo are founded on Get GungHo’s Golden Rules for Child Centred Activities, which are; 

1. Get GungHo is child centric and we have the child’s best interest at heart.

2. Get GungHo is holistic and approaches children as people first and foremost.

3. Get GungHo is inclusive of all children and all ability levels.

4. Get GungHo strives to ensure all activities are fun and safe.

5. Get GungHo prioritises the love of the activity over learning the activity.

6. Get GungHo focuses on foundational skills and capabilities.

7. Get GungHo will engage parents/caregivers in a positive manner and see parents and caregivers as partners.

8. Get GungHo will ensure programmes are progressive in nature to keep children engaged.

9. Get GungHo will use a variety of methods to enhance learning and keep it interesting.

10. Get GungHo will use competition in a developmental way that will teach children life values.

At Get GungHo we have created our sports enrichment and football training programmes based on 4 core mechanisms that empower how children learn through play while simultaneously delivering activities and outcomes that we believe are what kids want. 

Get GungHo's 4 mechanisms for how children succeed and build positive personal development are;

1. The Attention Factory
   Participation provides children with a clear focus that aids them in other areas of their life.
   
2. The Greenhouse for Growth
   Providing the foundation in which personal growth can take place.
   
3. The Personal Boost
   Getting used to little successes will provide a platform in which children’s spirits are boosted.
   
4. The Real-Life Simulator
   The experiences gained in the activities draw parallels to what occurs in the real world.

Competence is about developing a positive view of one’s actions. That is, feeling and being capable of doing things that are important to us.

How do we achieve this through Sport?  Competence - Set activities that are pitched at the right levels. We show children proof of how they are getting better through achievable targets.

Confidence involves an internal sense of overall self-worth; for instance, thinking ‘I am a worthy human being regardless of how I look or my ability’. Confidence also relates to our perceptions of how well we can deal with the demands of everyday life; this is also called self-efficacy.

How do we achieve this through Sport?  Confidence - Children should experience success regularly and create a mastery climate. We do this by focusing on each child’s individual improvement and growth as opposed to being compared with others. However, our tasks and benchmarks are challenging enough to teach children emotional resilience and strategies for future goal accomplishment.  

Connection is about building positive relationships with people and the institutions or environments we live in. These positive relationships benefit both the child and others and create a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself.

How do we achieve this through Sport?  Connection - At Get GungHo positive relationships are nurtured and promoted so that all children feel special and valued. We encourage cooperation between children and coaches.

Character deals with having a sense of right and wrong and of respect forsocietal and cultural rules.

How do we achieve this through Sport? Character - Children learn from what they say and do. Our coaches are role models and will always reinforce values such as respect, fairness, trust and good sportsmanship.

Caring is about developing a sense of empathy and having the capacity to care for others. It is also about experiencing a feeling of being cared for by those around us.

How do we achieve this through Sport?  Caring - Children are people with real feelings. The Get GungHo staff will always show that we care for our children, their interests and how they feel. We also encourage a buddy system so that children can nurture and develop care for each other. 

Creativity is understood as the capacity to find solutions to problems and to have original thoughts and ideas.

How do we achieve this through Sport?  Creativity - Children have a developing mind. We will plan activities where children will have to think for themselves. The focus is on understanding as opposed to copying. This will help them in other areas of their lives as well.