Spartak Sports, Trade and Entertainment Center, in partnership with Plast, the National Scout Organization of Ukraine, hosted a special spring event for children. The Haivky gathering offered a joyful and enriching experience in which young participants connected with Ukrainian Easter traditions through ritual games featuring movement and chanted refrains, as reported by Dengi.ua.
Haivky are ancient ceremonial games that have long accompanied Easter celebrations in Ukraine. Plast, founded in 1911, has carried these traditions across generations, and the event at Spartak was a vivid example of that ongoing mission. Every child was able to join the activities straight away, without lengthy explanations or complicated preparation.
"It was important to us that children discover Ukrainian culture not through dry facts, but through joy and movement. The Haivky event became a living, warm celebration, and it is precisely in this format that tradition is truly passed on," said Roksolana Pyrtko, CEO of Spartak.
The program included getting-to-know-you games, simple haivky with movements and repetitive chants, active games with no complex rules, and singing in a light, playful format. All activities were carefully adapted for children, with easy movements, straightforward rules, and a positive atmosphere throughout.
"At Spartak, we strive to create a space where every child feels part of Ukraine's great and beautiful cultural heritage. Events like this are not just a celebration, they are an investment in identity," added Roksolana Pyrtko.
The event achieved several goals at once: it introduced children to Ukrainian traditions in an accessible way, helped them open up and make new friends, and developed their coordination and attention. Most importantly, the organizers succeeded in sparking an interest in culture through play rather than obligation.
"When a child laughs, plays, and at the same time sings an ancient Ukrainian song, that is the finest form of cultural preservation. We are delighted that Plast shares this philosophy and brings it to life alongside us," concluded Spartak CEO Roksolana Pyrtko.
