Sports Carnival at Kool Kidz on 21st August 2016 was held at Wisma BAKTI in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
By the start of the second term in May 2016, Kool Kidz educators and children, some as young as 12 months old, were actively involved in the preparations for Sports Carnival. Events were choreographed, designed and tested by the educators and children, some discarded and redesigned many times before everyone agreed what worked and what did not!
Preparations for Sports Carnival 2016 began in earnest 8 weeks prior.
Mummies and daddies from both Team Red and Team Blue made sure the children had fitting Kool Kidz sports shirts for the big day.
Events were designed to be age appropriate based on children’s interests and abilities. “Feeding Monkeys” was performed by the Blue Jitterbugs all of whom are between 12 months – 24 months of age. This event was chosen based on the children’s interest in animals and to highlight their abilities. The children used the increasing control of their gross motor skills like running and hand eye coordination to complete this activity.
“Soldier crawl, throwing bean bags and football” by the Green Jitterbugs, who are children aged 2 years – 3 years old, demonstrated that the children had mastered coordinating more than one physical skill at a time. They were able to kick a ball while running too! Thus meeting their milestones for gross motor skill development as well as hand eye coordination. They showed their parents how they had mastered skills such as taking turns, sharing and team work.
The Caterpillars, 3 years – 4 years old, negotiated balance beams before getting to their “Colour and Tongs” activity. They completed their event with a “jumping into hula hoops with numbers in sequence from 1-4” event which showed that the children were gaining physical coordination, able to use their fine motor skills effectively and could recognize and count in sequence, all activities which are of current interest their class.
A challenging obstacle course that demanded focus, physical coordination and agility from the Butterflies, children aged 4 – 5years old, was designed to showcase the children’s achievement in control of both gross and fine motor skills, hand eye coordination, and team work. This event showed mummies and daddies that they were being prepared for writing, number work and more!
The individual class dance performances were practised daily. Music was selected based on the children’s response to the songs and to showcase a diversity of cultures. True to Kool Kidz philosophy, the children played a part in decision making! Dance props were selected to complement the dance movements. These ranged from scarves and bells to pom-poms and “sunnies”!
March past preparations began 6 weeks before Sports Carnival. The children enjoyed the use of the mega-phone when the siren was turned on to get their attention! They understood the routine very quickly!
Training to stand at attention, hands on the side was a learning experience that all the children understood and performed satisfactorily during the National Anthem.
The children took to the warm - up movements which were choreographed to be age appropriate and was mastered and performed by all the children with great gusto and enjoyment. They also liked the animal sounds they need to make! School Sports Carnival is not complete without fun events for parents and educators!
Some mummies and daddies laughed and giggled while “passing the hula hoop” as others became “wheelbarrows” to reach the finish line! Teachers on the other hand collapsed in fits of laughter while they hung on to each other as their “paper floor” diminished before their eyes!
The fun did not end there…there were stalls of delectable food and drinks, all sorts of art and craft, jewellery, educational materials, table games and many more.
After Sports Carnival, for a period of time, the children continued to request to go to the playground for march past practice. Some of them still remember their warm - up dance!
All of us at Kool Kidz Bangsar look forward to more fun and laughter at Sports Carnival 2017!
