Hello from Stepping Stones Center！
As we moved into the second week of the spring semester, the sunshine felt just a little warmer. This week, our classrooms were once again filled with laughter — and we quietly explored something small yet meaningful: what happiness looks like.
If Happiness Had a Shape
On Sunday, our intern social work team hosted a special activity at the Stepping Stones Center — a message board themed “If Happiness Had a Shape.”
Children picked up colourful pens and carefully drew their ideas of happiness. Some drew big hearts, others sketched families holding hands, and a few created warm, cozy homes.
Parents joined in as well, writing simple but heartfelt thoughts on Post-it notes:
“Being together as a family is happiness.”
“Good health, happiness every day.”
Our interns moved among the families, gently guiding conversations and listening to the small, meaningful stories being shared. Together, everyone also tried collage poetry — piecing together scattered words to create their own verses. One child wrote, “Love is missing and hugging Mom and Dad.”
Happiness may not have a single definition, but once it’s drawn or written down, it begins to take shape.
Empathy: A Little Tricky, A Little Beautiful
This weeks SEL class featured a role-playing activity.
Many children eagerly raised their hands to participate. One child stepped forward but struggled to connect with the character’s emotions. The teacher invited others to demonstrate. One child gave an exaggerated shiver, sending the whole room into laughter. Smiling, the teacher gently encouraged them: “Try putting yourself in their shoes.”
After a moment of hesitation, the first child blurted out, “Then you should let her feel what you’re feeling!” The class paused — then burst into laughter. The slightly tangled response lightened the mood.
With continued guidance, the child eventually asked a key question: “Why are you sad? What do you want to do right now?” Another student responded thoughtfully, “I want to ask her why she treated me like this.” By the end, the once-hesitant child nodded and said, “Then I agree! You can go and ask.”
Empathy isn’t something we’re simply born with. It’s something we practice, again and again. And this week, the children worked hard to understand it.
The Journey of Rice
“Hoeing in the noonday sun, sweat drips onto the soil…” In this week’s Food Education class, the teacher shared the story of rice. As the children read aloud, “Every grain on the plate is the fruit of hard work.” Their young voices filled the room with warmth.
“What foods are made from rice?” the teacher asked.
“Bread!”
“That works too.”
“Noodles!”
“Also correct.”
“Instant noodles!”
“Spicy Korean noodles!”
“…Those are all noodles!” the teacher laughed, and the room erupted in giggles.
After the story, the children drew rice plants. As they worked, one child protested, “You’re copying me!” Another replied matter-of-factly, “Yours looks good. I’m learning from you!”
From a tiny seed to a bowl of rice, and then into the children’s drawings. This is the heart of Food Education.
Making A Little Boat
At the start of arts and crafts, everyone was quietly focused on their own work until a small commotion caught everyone’s attention.
This week’s project: paper boats.
Across the room, similar questions popped up: “How did you do that?”, “How do you fold this part?” There were a few clumsy attempts, plenty of helping hands — and in the end, everyone proudly held up their slightly lopsided boats, smiling from ear to ear.
Friends by Your Side
During after-school care, the children settled down to complete homework, practicing dictation and recitation with their teachers. Later, as most children were picked up, only two remained. With the classroom suddenly quiet, it became their own little world.
They ran, laughed, and played as if they were ten children instead of two. Watching them, a teacher couldn’t help but murmur, “What’s so fun about this…” yet couldn’t stop smiling at their joy.
Soon, one child was picked up and left. The other lingered, asking again and again, “Do you think he’ll come back?” Of course he will. Stepping Stones is always here, and so is their friendship. Because when you have a friend by your side, even doing nothing can feel like everything.
This week, we saw what happiness looks like, and what empathy looks like. We saw children shining in the classroom, and we witnessed the purest kind of friendship after school. At Stepping Stones Center, we hope to hold onto these small, shining moments.
A big thank you to every parent, volunteer, and child — you’re the reason these moments deserve to be seen and celebrated!