Anne Zhang

    zhangy49@gmail.com

    More than 70 children at Shenzhen Social Welfare Center played various sports and games on Friday to celebrate International Children’s Day, which was Saturday.

    The children were between 2 and 19 years old. Most of them were orphans with physical or mental disabilities, said the center’s director, Tang Rongsheng.

    Tang said the center used to organize artistic activities and performances among children to celebrate the annual day, but this year was the first time they decided to hold sports and games.

    “Art and sports activities are both popular ways to celebrate a festival. But sports are particularly important for these children because exercises help them build physical strength,” he said.

    Hong Wenruo, a teacher at the welfare center, said the selected sports were specially designed for children with disabilities and each child played games that fit his or her physical or mental condition.

    The sports included simple gymnastics, ribbon dances and small games involving movements such as crawling and hip-wriggling.

    The children practiced and prepared for the festival for a week leading up to the event. “Doing sports and games is a challenge for most of them, but they seldom complain,” Hong said. “And they always surprise you.”

    Shen Fuzhai, for example, is a 12-year-old boy with autism. He usually becomes restless and starts to scream when he hears noise or music, Hong said, but he cooperated well with other children on Friday and finished the game successfully in an intense atmosphere.

    “By doing sports, the children strengthened their stamina and learned the spirit of teamwork,” Hong added.

    Shen Yunan, 16, had great fun doing ribbon dances. Shen has been unable to walk since she was very little, and often thought she wouldn’t have a chance to participate in sports and games because of her disability. But the center’s teachers specially designed her dance, in which she sat in her wheelchair and swung ribbons to music.

    Shen received a doll from the center as a present for Children’s Day.

    “I hope every day is like Children’s Day,” she said.

    The celebration was co-sponsored by Shenzhen Air International Hotel. The hotel’s deputy general manager, Xiao Qiang, said his hotel sent dozens of staff members to help the center set up for the games, prepare snacks and donate prizes for children.

    “We hope the children could feel from the details that we love and care about them,” Xiao said.