Physical Education is an essential Value Addition to Early Intervention programs in the development of motor and social skills in children with intellectual and multiple disabilities. The Early Intervention years are known as the "Golden Age" of motor development. During these years important skills like running, jumping, throwing and catching are developed. As a part of Physical Education, MNC organizes the Annual sports Day every February. This year it was organized on the 10th Feb 2023.
The Chief Guests of the day were Dr. Wolram Gaden a retired Paediatrician who is working with refugees in Germany and his wife Mrs. Jeannie Gaden who is a Member of the Board of Brade Stifftung Trust one of the major donors to Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust. Both of them have been visiting Bala Mandir for over 20 years and are friends and well wishers of Bala Mandir.
It was after two years that the Sports day brought the children back to the stadium physically, as the previous two years, due to the pandemic, it was celebrated online. The program started with March-past led by Mrs. Bharathi and Mrs. Sivakumar. The first group of students in the march-past this was followed by the lighting of the torch to declare the sports meet open. The children performed a drill to the theme Protect Agriculture. It was more of an action song where they stressed that need for farming, and to adopt new features that will save the planet and keep it green. We have already destroyed the forests, cut trees and rerouted rivers for constructing tall buildings. There is no going back now. So they suggested that we adopt drip irrigation. Terrace gardening, developing small patches of lands in the cities among residential colonies, to grow plants in individual house tops, terraces etc. The drill was thought provoking and made an impact on the audience. This was followed by the sports events. The games are listed below.
List of games as per age group :
Birth to Four Years
Four to Six Years
Montessori
Jivikam
Interschool games
Mainstream school
Though winners and runners up were declared for all the games, every child who participated got a prize and a certificate. The chief guest was all appreciation for the good work done by MNC particularly in empowering the parents and helping them train their children in the home environment too. The meet came to an end with the national anthem and distribution of refreshments.