Children play at a "bubble party" at a kindergarten in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, on May 31, 2023. Photo: IC

On Thursday, China came alive with vibrant colors and joyful laughter as children and families gathered to celebrate International Children's Day which falls on June 1.  

Celebrations organized by governments and non-governmental institutes were seen across the nation for the "flowers of the motherland."

On Thursday morning, a Global Times reporter noticed that children were running around with balloons and wore colorful hats along the street. Some children took part in traditional games like tug-of-war and Chicken vs Eagle in the park, while others created their own games. 

On social media platforms, creative posts showcasing homemade crafts, heartfelt messages, and funny videos flooded feeds. From playgrounds to living rooms, everyone found their own unique way to celebrate the innocence, curiosity, and wonder at the heart of childhood. 

It was a reminder that even in the midst of challenges, hope and joy can always be found in the playful spirit of youth.

Many parents were asked to create a handmade craft with their children on this day, such as creative clothing or other items that use glue to bond their family ties even more tightly.

In some areas, a ceremony was held for teenagers to join the Communist Youth League. 

In Southwest China's Chongqing, a group of children were invited to the driver's cabin of a bullet train to experience the wonder of China's high-speed railway. Meanwhile, some schools organized visits to technology parks for children to experience the charm of artificial intelligence. 

In Suining, East China's Jiangsu Province, public security police gave safety-themed lectures to children. They had a close-up experience with police equipment, observed an art exhibition and theater performances focused on traffic safety, anti-fraud, and other forms of content. 

In some areas such as Central China's Hubei and Southwest China's Sichuan, schools invited inheritors of intangible cultural heritage to let children experience the charm of traditional skills, allowing students to inherit and carry forward excellent traditional culture in their studies.

In China's border regions, children from ethnic minority groups also celebrated in ways that highlight their local cultures. For example, in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, female soldiers stationed on the plateau shared their dreams and celebrated International Children's Day with their children, creating a multicultural celebration.

Some children and orphans in rural and impoverished areas have also received widespread attention and a lot of love through donations from people from all walks of life, helping them create comfortable learning spaces. In Zhumadian, Central China's Henan Province, a group of young volunteers, for example, visited the Zhumadian Children's Welfare Institute to deliver air conditioners, washing machines, summer quilts, clothes, food, and other materials to the children.

On June 1, International Children's Day is celebrated mainly in communist nations. The date marking Children's Day varies in different countries, but all are geared toward children's wellbeing. It became an international celebration after the Lidice Massacre during World War II in the Czech Republic in 1942, to commemorate over 80 children who were sent to the Chelmno extermination camp and were reportedly killed in mobile gas chambers that same day. 

Global Times

Students experience the latest cutting-edge technology in an immersive way at the China Science Fiction Convention 2023, which is held in Beijing from May 29 to June 4. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Children enjoy a fancy skating game at the China National Children's Center in Beijing to celebrate International Children's Day on May 31, 2023. Photo: Chen Tao/GT

 

Students, whose parents are working in big cities, at the Yanggou village primary school in Bozhou county, East China's Anhui Province, on May 30, 2023, happy to receive schoolbags, stationery, and other gifts for International Children's Day. Photo: VCG
 

Students from all ethnic groups dressed in cultural costumes celebrate International Children's Day at a primary school in Haian, East China's Jiangsu Province, on May 31, 2023. Photo: VCG

 

Students salute each other after a group of younger members joined the Communist Youth League at a primary school in Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu Province, on May 31, 2023. Photo: VCG