Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Thousands of tiny tots, toddlers and preschoolers competed in a fun four-day sporting festival to exhibit their skills as well as to encourage youngsters to take on a healthier lifestyle from an early age.
Around 1,200 students from 48 nurseries and kindergartens participated in the second edition of the Bahrain Baby Games.
The event, organised by the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, kicked off with an opening ceremony on Saturday at the Isa Sports City’s Bahrain Volleyball Association Hall, in Riffa.
Mahmood Ashoori, BOC’s manager of marketing and promotions, said “The feedback from nurseries and kindergartens after our initial event last year was very positive and, most importantly, the children were happy, the teachers were happy and the parents were too! We had to do it again.”
The aim was not only to help educate children about sporting activities but hopefully encourage star athletes of the future.
The opening ceremony was attended by BOC secretary general Mohammed Al Nusuf, human resources and services executive director and representatives of the participating nurseries and kindergartens.
The event started with an acrobatic show by Layal Jehad of KJ Kids Kindergarten, followed by another presented by Wala Al Dossary, plus a demonstration from Fairytopia Kindergarten.
After the entertainment, babies under one year competed in a five-metre crawling contest and there was a baby walking race for those below 15 months. There was also an Olympic Games-style parade for teams.
Children aged three to five have been competing in athletics, basketball, gymnastics and football tournaments.
Little Pearls Nursery Bahrain competitors were aged from 18 months to four, hailing from Bahrain, China, Korea, UK and Saudi Arabia. Principal Joanna Flavia was thrilled to see how much they enjoyed themselves. She said: “We participated in the event last year and it’s great to be a part of it again. It makes children want to get involved in sport from an early age and encourages them to be healthy. It teaches them that sport is a lifestyle as well. Also, they all get medals in the end and it’s all about participating.”
Three-year-old student Khalid Basim, who lives with his parents in Hidd, said that he ‘loved jumping’ in the gymnastic event.
Housewife Mizbah Shaikh from Amwaj Islands was a proud parent and watched her daughter Mannat, five, a student at Kidz World Kindergarten Bahrain, receive her medal. She said: “I think the Baby Games really encourages children to take up sport. My daughter was smiling even before she received her medal.”
