Save the Children has organized a child fair (Shishu Mela) with the main objective of encouraging children in sport, by emphasizing the core characteristics of sports such as joy, exploration, problem-solving, and resilience

“It also aimed to create understanding of creating safe environment for the children to learn by playing,” according to a press release.

The day-long fair was organized at the Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan on Saturday under the “Championing Play” project run by the international development organization Save the Children in Bangladesh with funding from Lego Foundation.

The fair featured various stalls like the “Khelnar Karigor,” where children were taught to make toys using paper, and the “Akibuki,” where children could draw pictures using various tools.

There was also a stall called “Ja Iccha Tai,” where children could arrange different types of games as they desired, and a stall called “Mati Niya Matamati,” where they could create various things using clay, said the release.

Each stall focused on providing the children's initial care and development, using the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) approach, which is highly beneficial for a child's overall growth. Children aged 3 to 10 years and their parents participated in the event through online pre-registration for morning and afternoon sessions.

The “Championing Play project is a crucial initiative by Save focusing on physical, linguistic, social, and cognitive development of children aged 0-6 years in Gaibandha district.

During the pandemic, the project used play and learning materials to create a conducive environment for children's learning at home. Besides Gaibandha, the project collaborated with the Bangladesh Shishu Academy, distributing play materials (Magic Bags) to education centres for promoting learning through play. Additionally, in some private schools in Dhaka, play materials (Magic Bags) were distributed for the promotion of learning through play, the release also said.