Children's day, children's way

Hundreds of wide-eyed children braved the biting wind and swarmed Ta' Qali's National Park yesterday to join in activities marking their special day.

Organised by the Social Policy Ministry and the Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry, the afternoon activities marking World Children's Day provided ample entertainment for those children who might have spent their Sunday cooped on a couch watching TV.

High on adrenalin, many of the children ran around the park in search of the next fun activity while some of the shyer ones clung on to their parents for dear life, a couple almost on the verge of tears.

Face-painting, musical and dance-shows, clay making, drawing sessions, aerobics classes and extracts from this year's Sinbad (the Tailor) and Jack and the Beanstalk pantomimes were just a few of the items on the jam-packed programme.

Parents joined in the fun too and pitched in during a tug-of-war event as others coached their children during a baseball match.

A deejay positioned around the park's main fountain provided a selection of tunes from timely musical shows and multi-coloured plush characters gathered the children running astray from their watchful parents.

Countless police officers and security guards patrolled the park incessantly, one of them gently persuading some of the more eager children who unabashedly ventured up on stage to return to their seats as performances were underway.

Educational events dealing with health, sport and other extra-curricular activities did not fail to attract children's participation as did those focusing on environmental awareness such as waste separation and recycling.