With end-of-year festivities fast approaching, our Palmerston North centre has started celebrating already.

Learning English goes hand in hand with learning Kiwi culture at English Language Partners, so planning a surprise baby shower party was a fun, Kiwi-focused activity for this ESOL Intensive class.

With Saifuddin and Nur Begum expecting a boy in December, the ‘blue themed’ baby shower party was an exciting first for all participating students.

The class put up balloons and decorations for their special guests, and then everyone got stuck into some traditional baby shower fun and games…

Chit San set up some action rules for the ‘Passing the Parcel’ game. Chanthou got caught to perform a chicken dance and Swar Lay had to ‘high five’ everyone. Sani Maya, Swar Lay and Paw Trace drew a baby on the whiteboard, and teacher Vanessa was picked to sing and do an action children song with Poe Pe.

The next game was not so pleasant.  The class split into five groups and guessed ‘What’s in the Nappy’. Their expressions were hilarious!

For the last game, the groups tried selecting and picking up boy names with clothes pegs from the mixed girl and boy names on the floor. Mu Taw, Poe Pe and Paw Trace got the highest points – winning a pack of healthy snacks.

To conclude the event, David sang a lullaby song while playing his guitar. Nur Begum opened presents and read the messages on a card that Mohammad had drafted. And, in English Language Partners’ tradition, food was shared. A fabulous end to a fabulous class.