Guam's many 'Kids Clubs' keep families coming back
Beyond giving parents a few hours to relax, the "Kids Clubs" found at Guam's hotels and resorts provide children with an immersive environment to practice their English with native speakers.
WOO JI-WONWOOJI-WONLIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER
Published
Donna Quichocho helps a child with their worksheets at the Kids Club in Lotte Hotel Guam.WOO JI-WON
GUAM — A flight from Korea to Guam is often livelier than most, filled with children’s excited chatter, laughter and occasional tears.
The Pacific island has long been one of Korean families’ favorite vacation destinations thanks to its beautiful calm waters and kid-friendly pools at its many hotels and resorts.
Beyond its beaches and pools, however, Guam also draws families with its hotels’ and resorts’ children-designated areas, often called “Kids Clubs.” In addition to giving parents a few hours to relax, these Kids Clubs provide children with an immersive environment to practice their English with native speakers.
“We have so many kids who come back and remember their teachers,” said Chardonnay Naone, who runs children’s programs at Pacific Islands Club (PIC) Guam after previously working as a preschool teacher in Hawaii.
A passport used during the “Let's Speak English” program at Pacific Islands Club Guam, front, and a certificate granted to those who accomplish the questWOO JI-WON
Pacific Islands Club Guam's Kids ClubWOO JI-WON
PIC operates a Kids Club for children ages 4 to 12 and a Little Kids Club for toddlers, both of which feature daily indoor and outdoor activities from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It also runs a separate “Let’s Speak English” program that encourages children to practice their English by talking with staff members around the resort.
“[Our] Kids Club is one of the reasons that families come back to PIC, and [encouraging them to return is] my personal goal as well,” Naone said. On the day of this reporter’s visit alone, two children had returned to PIC’s Kids Club for the second year in a row.
Dusit Thani Guam Resort, Crowne Plaza Resort Guam and Lotte Hotel Guam also offer similar children’s programs for visiting families, with Lotte offering complimentary daily English classes for kids ages 5 to 11.
Lotte Hotel Guam's Kids ClubLOTTE HOTEL GUAM
Donna Quichocho, a Kids Club teacher at Lotte Hotel Guam, said that she’s also had children return the following year as many form genuine bonds with their teachers over the course of their trip.
“One child returned every day for the 10 days of his stay,” said Quichocho. “Some kids really connect with us. They make paper hearts for us, and I still have [mine] on my desk.”
For some children, a Kids Club becomes the highlight of their vacation. In turn, for their parents, it becomes a reason to book another trip to Guam.
