Over 1,000 children participated in the third round of Baby Olympics held in Lahore over the weekend. The three-day event, featuring crawling races, running games, push ball and much more was held at the Mall of Lahore. Starting on Friday, August 26, Baby Olympics was organised by the diaper brand Pampers.
First launched in Karachi, the overwhelming response received from the parents and children motivated the brand to arrange the event in Islamabad before heading to Lahore.
The attempt turned out to be a huge success as many parents, particularly mothers, showed up and seemed excited to see the facilities provided for children and toddlers to do what they do best – play.
Kausar Aziz, whose five-year-old son was participating in a running race, had never been to such an event before. “Normally, there are no activities in the city for kids his age. Look how much fun he is having here. Kids enjoy these types of activities and the important thing is that it’s well-organised, so that no one gets hurt,” said Aziz.
Baby Olympics focused on several physical activities designed for toddlers. The children were seen participating in various races with the help of Pampers brand ambassadors and instructors.
Apart from races, the activities also included crawling drills and push drills during which children were seen pushing balls and other toys. At the end of the games, winners of all the competitions were treated to family portraits.
“Our goal was to ensure that the children were given an incentive to participate,” said Assistant Brand Manager Pampers Hira Modan. “Such activities are good for happy, healthy baby development and that’s why playtime should never end,” she added.
Though unique in Pakistan, the concept of Baby Olympics has been endorsed around the world and is considered to be linked with child development. When properly organised, such activities can improve a child’s cerebral output and physical growth.
Modan explained that the response had been unique as the event allowed both parents and children to come together for three days. “When families are able to come together, it’s enjoyable. But our main emphasis is on the children because when they start walking and crawling through these activities, they are able to develop more,” added Modan.
Erum Zahra – a young brand ambassador and one of the volunteers – said that the most important thing she learnt from Baby Olympics was how to get involved and get the participants involved in different tasks. “We provided incentives to the children to participate and get out of their comfort zone,” said Zahra. “It’s worked very well because it showed the children how to get involved.”
Zahra further explained that the event also helped boost the confidence of children who had not been exposed to such an open environment in the past. On the whole, the event was worth visiting for parents and their children alike.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2011.
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