Hello everyone, and welcome to the Stepping Stones Center.
In November 2025, we opened this brand-new space in a residential community in Huacao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai. It is a completely free, safe, and welcoming after-school home, created primarily to support children from migrant families in the surrounding area.
Through classes in English, digital literacy, and social-emotional learning, along with consistent care and companionship, we hope to lay one more brick for each child’s future and shine a little more light on their path to growth.
The first week of the spring semester began with the sound of children’s voices, laughter, and a touch of shyness. Throughout the week, our volunteers captured many moments that either warmed our hearts or made us burst into laughter.
Today, we’d like to share this warm and lively joy with you as well.
Food Education Class: A Debate About Food
While trying to figure out which foods originated in China, the children launched into a heated discussion.
One little boy pointed at some broccoli and declared with certainty, “This one definitely isn’t from China. Broccoli can’t be, it’s just something used to decorate steak in Western food!”
Another child immediately caught on, as if discovering a new world: “Then tomatoes aren’t from here either! They’re always put inside hamburgers!”
Listening to their conversation, we suddenly realized: behind every vegetable, every ingredient, lies a long journey. They’ve traveled across oceans to finally arrive on our tables, becoming the sauce in a burger or the side dish for a steak.
Perhaps this is the true meaning of food education — starting from our plates to explore the big, wide world.
SEL Class: Unique Children and Their Name Cards
In our first SEL class, we asked the children to introduce themselves.
I am a happy kid.
Adults usually think I’m a quiet kid.
The little girl who said this was attending class for the first time and spent most of it in silence. She knew exactly how people perceived her. But we also wanted her to know that whether quiet or lively, she is completely unique.
In the lower grade class, we had the children make their own name cards.
After finishing, two kids were invited to take a photo together. One pretended not to want to, acting a bit shy; the other generously put an arm around their shoulder, looked seriously at the camera, with an adorably earnest expression.
Another little boy deliberately wrote the wrong grade level on his card. When the teacher asked him about it, he said mischievously, “But I am in third grade!” Pressed further, he simply hid his face behind the card, revealing only his crescent-shaped, laughing eyes: “Oops, I just made a little mistake.”
One little girl looked at her own creation and mumbled quietly, “Mine doesn’t look good.”
After talking with her, we agreed: There is no right or wrong in art. We have to believe that what we create is the absolute best-looking thing in the world!
The little girl blinked, then suddenly pointed at the camera and said, “Then take a picture of me!”
You see, the spark of confidence was lit right at that moment.
Some Classroom Games
Ms Sherry, come play with us!
That teacher has to join too!
Let’s play one more round after this!
During the Hot Potato game, the children’s enthusiasm was practically lifting the roof off. Everyone shared when they feel happy and when they feel angry. After the game ended, every single child’s face was beaming with smiles, and that pure, childlike joy truly filled our space.
To kick off the arts and crafts class, we played “Hug Tag”.
Everyone was hopping around when suddenly a little boy posed a profound question: “Wouldn’t it be weird if a boy has to hug a girl?”
Before the teacher could even answer, a little “social prodigy” from another group, short on members, was already loudly recruiting: “Quick, come be in my group, we can hug it out!”
In a child’s world, when rules fall short, friendship fills the gap.
The 74-Centimeter
This week, in our “Joyful Minds” course, we also used building blocks to create things representing our hobbies and interests.
Someone built a soccer field, declaring, “I love playing soccer!” Another child got a piece shaped like an airplane and said, “I want to fly a plane!”
The most exciting part was the group tower-building challenge. The goal was to build the tallest tower that could stand for 10 seconds without falling.
Determined to win, the children began showcasing amazing architectural thinking, constantly comparing which blocks were taller and which structures were more stable.
In the end, the champion group built a tower reaching 74 centimeters!
When one group was counting down the final 10 seconds for their tower, the kids were so excited they were bouncing and counting loudly. Seeing their tower wobble from the vibrations, they quickly lowered their voices and hissed, “Don’t bump the table!”
After-School Care
The after-school care program at Stepping Stones Center continued as usual this week.
Everyone settled down to finish their homework diligently, and proactively sought out teachers for dictation and recitation practice.
One little boy, after finishing his homework, didn’t rush off to play. Instead, he pulled a volunteer teacher aside and enthusiastically shared stories about planets, talking non-stop about his interest in the universe.
Students who completed their work started drawing quietly. They often drew the same subject, and after finishing, would shyly hold up their pictures to a teacher and softly ask, “What do you think?” It wasn’t a lack of confidence, but rather an invitation to share in their happiness.
Final Thoughts
This was the first week of our spring semester.
We witnessed the children’s mischievousness, their shyness, their wild imaginations, and also the deep sensitivity hidden within them.
We are so happy to have met again this spring.
The Stepping Stones Center aims to be a place that listens to you and grows with you.
See you next week, friends!