Latest news with #JaydenTanLiSheng
The Star
10-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Starchild: How Malaysian children celebrate Easter with egg hunts
Clayra Bungan Yeoh Hui Qing, 8 Easter, which is celebrated on Sunday (April 20), is a special day for many Christians around the world. It is a time to remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lisa Ong, 8 In Malaysia, Easter is not a public holiday, but most churches hold special services on Easter Sunday. Families may attend church together and enjoy a meal at home after that. Some children take part in fun activities like Easter egg hunts, where they look for colourful eggs hidden in the house or garden. Easter eggs are a popular symbol of the holiday. They represent new life and new beginnings. In many places around the world, people decorate eggs with bright colours and give them as gifts. Sometimes, the eggs are made of chocolate. Yummy! Children especially enjoy getting chocolate eggs and bunnies as Easter treats. Another symbol of Easter is the Easter bunny. This cheerful character is said to bring eggs and hide them for children to find. While it is more common in Western countries, some children in Malaysia enjoy stories and cartoons about the Easter bunny too. Easter is also a time to think about hope, love and kindness. It reminds us to be thankful for our family and friends, and to help others whenever we can. Even if your family doesn't celebrate Easter, learning about different festivals and traditions helps us understand and respect each other. That is what makes Malaysia special - a place where many cultures and celebrations come together. Here are the letters from Starchild readers on the topic, Easter. Clayra Bungan Yeoh Hui Qing, eight, says: 'I love Easter because of all the colourful eggs! At my home in Kuching, my siblings and I painted eggs using watercolours and glitter. My mother also told us the story of Easter and why people celebrate it. I think it's a nice time to remember love and kindness.' Jayden Tan Li Sheng, 12 Jayden Tan Li Sheng, 12, writes, 'Easter reminds us to embrace new beginnings with hope, joy and trust in God. My family and I celebrate by attending Easter mass at St Francis Xavier Church in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. We will also spend time with family and friends by inviting them for dinner. For fun, we will have a friendly competition where we decorate eggs using edible pens to show our creativity. To everyone celebrating Easter, I wish you a day filled with new hope, happiness and blessings through God's grace.' Michelle Tan Mei Kuan, 9 Nine-year-old Michelle Tan Mei Kuan plans to celebrate Easter at her cousin's house. 'We will enjoy a special dinner, share meaningful moments and appreciate the joy of being together. In addition, on Easter Sunday, I plan to give chocolate shaped like eggs or rabbits to some of my friends as a small gesture of kindness and to share this festive spirit.' 'Even though we don't really celebrate Easter at home, I read about it in a book. I think the Easter Bunny sounds really cool! I like the idea of hiding chocolate eggs and finding them. If I were the Easter Bunny, I would hide eggs in tricky places like inside shoes or behind books,' says Lisa Ong, eight. 'Happy Easter Day to all Starchild readers!' says Ong Keat Ming, six. ITEM: Mother's Day is celebrated on May 11. It is a time to show how much we love and appreciate our mothers. Do you help your mother with chores, give her hugs, or make her laugh with your jokes? Maybe you'd like to draw a picture of you and your mother spending time together, or write her a special letter to say 'thank you' for all that she does. Tell us why your mother is the best in the world! Email your contributions to lifestyle@ by May 2. Please put 'STARCHILD: Mothers Day' in the subject line of your email. Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact, and address. Instead of handwritten letters, please type out your letters.
The Star
05-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Starchild: Why Malaysian kids dream of a greener Earth
Every year on April 22, people all over the world celebrate Earth Day, a special day to show love and care for our planet. This year's Earth Day theme is 'Our power, Our planet', which focuses on renewable energy. Jayden Tan Li Sheng, 12 Renewable energy comes from natural sources like the sun, wind and water. These sources don't run out and are much cleaner than burning coal or oil, which can pollute the air and harm the planet. By using renewable energy, we can reduce global warming and create a healthier Earth for future generations. In Malaysia, we have plenty of sunshine and rain, which means we can use solar panels and hydropower to create clean energy. Even though students may not build solar panels, you can still support this theme in small but meaningful ways. Our Earth gives us so much – fresh air, clean water, tasty food and beautiful places like jungles, beaches and waterfalls. But sometimes, humans pollute the land, air and oceans by throwing away plastic, cutting down too many trees and wasting water and electricity. So, how can children help the Earth? The answers are are easier than you think. You can start by cultivating good habits like recycling, planting trees and not littering. Students can help by keeping their schools clean and using less plastic. Michelle Tan Mei Kuan, 9 You can bring your own water bottles to school instead of buying bottled water. You can also say 'no' to plastic straws and bags. Try to recycle paper, cans and bottles at home. Don't forget to switch off all lights and fans when you leave a room. Even small actions can make a big difference when many people work together. Here are letters from Starchild readers on the topic, Earth Day. 'Earth Day is special because it reminds us to take care of our planet. Earth is our only home and we must protect it. I love our planet because it gives us everything we need, clean air, fresh water, trees and animals. When I see rubbish on the ground or people wasting water, I feel sad. I think we can do better. 'I try to help in small ways. I pick up litter at the park, turn off lights when I leave a room and remind my family to recycle. I also enjoy helping in our school garden. Recently, we organised a book drive to collect and reuse storybooks while promoting reading at our school. We can make a difference! My wish is for everyone to treat the Earth with care and love. Let's keep our planet happy, not just on Earth Day, but every day,' says Lyu Liang Fu, 10. Lyu Liang Fu, 10 Jayden Tan Li Sheng, 12, writes, 'There are many easy ways we can help make our planet a better place to live. For example, we can remind people not to litter in our neighbourhood. We can also use reusable bags and water bottles instead of throwing away plastic ones. Planting a tree, some herbs or even a small houseplant is another great way to care for the Earth. We should also take part in recycling or clean-up campaigns to reduce waste and spread awareness in our communities. Let's work together to make Earth better again whether through small personal habits, community involvement or simply taking a moment to appreciate nature.' Michelle Tan Mei Kuan, nine, writes, 'I think we should reduce rubbish and make use of waste by upcycling. We can recycle paper, plastic bottles and aluminum cans. There are many other ways too, such as switching off unnecessary lights and using solar energy.' Erica Sophia, 12, thinks it is important to work together to keep the planet clean and green. 'If we don't look after our planet, we might not have clean air to breathe or animals to see in the future. At home, I help by turning off lights when I don't need them and bringing my own bag when we go shopping. I also reuse paper for drawing and crafts.' ITEM: Teachers Day is celebrated on May 16. It is a special time to say thank you to the amazing teachers who help us learn, grow, and reach for our dreams. Do you have a favourite teacher? How has your teacher made learning fun for you? Write us a letter and tell us all about it! Don't forget to send in your drawing too. Email your contributions to lifestyle@ by May 9. Please put 'STARCHILD: Teachers Day' in the subject line of your email. Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact, and address. Instead of handwritten letters, please type out your letters.
