Introduction: At the Children’s Carnival, we (me and my friend) set up a stall to teach government school children about financial literacy, especially the difference between needs and wants. We created a simple and fun game where each child picked a random chit with a question. If they answered correctly, they got three chances to score a goal from a fixed distance. Based on how difficult their question was, they could earn 10, 20, or 50 points. This activity mixed learning with sports so that the children stayed engaged and understood the concept better.

LO1 – Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth: During the event, I realized that one of my strengths is explaining concepts to younger children in a simple way. I was able to guide them through the rules and make them comfortable. However, I also noticed that I need to work on management, especially when the number of people increased. This helped me understand how I can improve as a communicator and become more supportive in teaching situations.

LO2 – Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process: The biggest challenge was managing the crowd when many children came at once and wanted to play. It required quick thinking, clear instructions, and constant attention. Another challenge was making sure every child understood their question instead of just guessing. Through this, I developed better leadership skills, clearer communication, and the ability to handle multiple tasks at the same time. I also learned how to adjust the difficulty of explanations depending on the child’s age.

LO3 – Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience: We planned the whole activity from scratch. We decided the rules, created the chits, selected the difficulty levels, and set up the space for the goal-scoring section. We divided responsibilities as I was handling all the chits and questions part and my friend was handling the goal part. This taught me how to plan step-by-step, organize materials, and make sure everything ran smoothly on the day of the event.

LO4 – Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences: The event lasted several hours, and we were on our feet the whole time. Even when we got tired or the stall became hectic, we continued teaching and helping the children. I stayed committed because I wanted every child to have the chance to learn something useful while enjoying the game. This experience taught me that real service requires consistent effort, not just showing up.

LO5 – Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively: Our stall worked well because our team divided responsibilities effectively. Some handled the questions, some guided the football shots, and others kept score. We communicated constantly to keep everything running smoothly. Working together made the activity more organized and enjoyable for everyone. It showed me that collaboration is important in service activities because it helps us cover more tasks and support each other.

LO6 – Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance: Financial literacy is a global issue. Many young people grow up without understanding how to make smart financial decisions. By teaching these children the basics of needs and wants, we were contributing to a bigger goal of helping them develop responsible habits for the future. Even though our activity was small, it addressed an important worldwide concern—providing access to practical knowledge that can improve lives.

LO7 – Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions: While planning and running the stall, we made sure our actions were fair and respectful. We treated every child equally, no matter how well they answered or played. We also made sure the game was safe and that the scoring system was honest. Our goal was to educate, not to embarrass or pressure anyone. Keeping the activity ethical helped create a positive and supportive environment for the children.

Conclusion: The Children’s Carnival was a meaningful service activity that allowed us to teach important life skills in a fun and interactive way. I learned more about my strengths, improved my teamwork and leadership skills, and understood the importance of patience and fairness. This experience helped me see how small actions can make a big impact when done with purpose and responsibility.