[Free Summer Camp] DIY Traditional Kid-Friendly Cooking, Explore the Market Like Never Before!

Summer vacation is coming. Have parents figured out where to take their kids? This summer, New Taipei’s traditional markets will host free parent-child market summer camp activities every week in July, allowing parents to bring their children to have fun at New Taipei’s markets. Wondering what else you can do at the market besides shopping? Let us walk you through it:

Use your hands, feet, nose, taste buds, and ears — engage all five senses to explore the market through fun challenges

Challenge 1: The Market Color Palette

The noodle stall might make you think of white, while the meat stall brings red to mind. The diverse stalls together form a colorful, vibrant market like a palette. But what stories lie behind these colors?
This challenge introduces kids to the stories behind these colors, teaching them life knowledge as they color their lives together. For example, while meat is red, did you know that different cuts actually come in varying shades?

After carefully observing the market with your eyes and getting to know the ingredients, it’s time to level up the experience in a new way!

Challenge 2: The Mystery Sensory Box

Did you know that long cucumbers actually feel spiky to the touch, or that carrots have a unique scent when you sniff them closely?

In this challenge, temporarily set aside our usual reliance on sight. Cover your eyes and use your hands to touch or your nose to smell to identify the items inside the box, then head to the market with your kids to find them. Try rediscovering the raw forms of ingredients using different senses!

After using your hands and feet, exploring with your eyes, and shuttling back and forth through the market, have you noticed certain things about the market? Next, let’s test the kids’ powers of observation!

Challenge 3: The Symphony of the Market

At the market, there are the pattering footsteps of pedestrians, the rhythmic sounds of picking vegetables, the sharp clatter of chopping meat, the scraping of fish scales, and more. These sounds fill the market. What noises have you heard in the market?

In this challenge, “The Symphony of the Market,” you’ll need to listen carefully. Can you pick out the subtle sounds coming from the market?

Invite you and your children to create the unique symphony of the market together!

After going through the challenges and expending energy, with the aroma of delicious food wafting through the air and an array of treats on display, are you getting hungry just like me?

Let’s sample some market delicacies and get to know the market through our taste buds!

Challenge 4: A Delicious Feast

This challenge will satisfy everyone’s taste buds with market-fresh, handmade food. The homemade taste is truly something else — I’m already drooling and ready to sign up ASAP!

Think that’s all?

Finally, enjoy a “Market Food Experience” with your kids. Engage all five senses, learn cooking from the market vendors, and use fresh market ingredients to easily whip up classic summer flavors. Take home a wealth of knowledge, memories, and delicious food!

Parent-Child Secondhand Stall Fun

Abroad, parents often take their kids to run secondhand stalls together. They believe this not only teaches children to value and cherish belongings, but also helps instill proper money concepts through the experience. In this way, stall-selling becomes a form of life education. This time, we’re recruiting junior stall owners — kids can bring their own secondhand items from home to become little shopkeepers. While finding new homes for their pre-loved items, they’ll not only enjoy the fun of selling but also learn about life with their parents!

Secondhand DIY Class — Toy Doctor

This time, we’re also collaborating specially with the New Taipei Toy Bank to teach kids how to inspect secondhand toys. While enjoying the fun of hands-on crafting, they’ll also give a second life to pre-owned toys.

Do Good Deeds & Win Market Goodies

On the day of the market event, there’s also a “Secondhand Toys Sharing Love” activity. Kids who bring secondhand toys from home to donate to the New Taipei Toy Bank on the day of the event will have a chance to win free market goodies. While spreading kindness, they may also get to taste some delicious market treats.

New Taipei’s markets are offering so many activities this summer — how do you sign up?

This event is organized by the New Taipei City Government’s Markets Division. From now until May 31, simply fill out the online registration form on the official website for a chance to participate for free.

For more details, please visit → http://www.goodmarketslife.com.tw

Quick registration link for New Taipei Market Fun → https://lihi.cc/7My4H

Quick registration link for Parent-Child Second-hand Market → https://lihi.cc/G1y6M