Croatian Olympic Committee: Olympic Festival of Kindergartens

In addition, it is a good example of successful cooperation between governmental sports institutions responsible for sports and education and non-governmental sports organisations (CRO OC and its members, the county sports associations). The organiser of a competition at local level (municipality, city or county) is the sports association. In order to be better prepared, the kindergarten carries out an education on the Olympic movement (Olympic Games, flag, flame, medals, anthem, oath) in parallel with the preparations for the competition. Depending on the number of children in the kindergarten, a competition team representing a kindergarten can consist of a maximum of 40 participants, preferably an equal number of girls and boys.

Every kindergarten takes part in 4 athletics discipline (50 m sprint, soft ball long throw, standing long jump and 4 x 25 m relays (team: 2 girls and 2 boys) and football competitions.  Each participant may only take part in one sports discipline or sport game, but with the organiser’s consent a participant may take part in more than one sport discipline or sport type, depending on the conditions of the organisation in kindergartens with fewer children. Each kindergarten receives a certain number of points for the ranking achieved. Points are awarded up to 12th place in a given discipline according to the points table, and the team’s overall ranking is calculated by adding up the points achieved by the participants in the individual disciplines.

The organiser of the competition is obliged to hold a dress rehearsal at least one week before the competition in order to explain the entire organisation and implementation of the competition in detail. It is important to highlight the organisational concept of the festival in line with the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games (ceremonial parade of participants, opening ceremony, closing ceremony, etc.). After the festival, the organisers are obliged to report to the local sports office of the Croatian Olympic Committee.

Children are increasingly taking part in organised forms of exercise and competitions. Therefore, any form of exercise for children should be based on scientific and professional principles. Some of the Croatian scientists have analysed the motor skills of children in the festival disciplines. When we compare the results of the participants of the 2007 festival with those of the 2018 festival, we can unfortunately see a decline in motor performance in all disciplines, both for boys and girls. The results of the study can be a useful source of information for all those who organise physical activities for children.