As I mentioned yesterday, Anthony's preschool/kindergarten had their “sports festival” this weekend. It's Anthony's third and final year, and I continue to be impressed with the planning and implementation that the mommies and teachers do to put this on, and how perfectly age-appropriate everything is.

The cutest, of course, are the youngest class... kids who were three years old when the school year started in April. Their first event was an obstacle course titled 「げんきいっぱい　よーいどん！」 which translates to the less cute “Lotsa' Energy, Ready, Go!”.

Here's the course for the event:

Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 22 mm — ¹/640 sec, f/9, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Youngest Kids' First Event

Three at a time, they jump over a short barrier, crawl through a dog-house tunnel, then pick up a paper-towel tube, then a paper cone, and using the tube, carry the cone through to the finish line....

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Through the Tunnel...
( the wonderful smile on the teacher in the background is a fixture every year )

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/1600 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Pick up a Paper-Towel Tube....

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Add a Cone...
( that's May, seen growing up over the years on my blog, including here, here, here, here, and here )

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
And Into the Finish...
(That's Taro, seen here and here; his dad is a fellow camera geek, musician, and a teacher)

The youngest kids' obstacle course seems a bit more complex this year than it was two years ago when Anthony did it, and quite a bit more complex than last year, but still, it seems perfectly appropriate for these kids' ages.

The middle class – kids who were four years old at the start of the school year – had an event whose twist was that it was a relay, so rather than simply taking turns, they were part of the whole event.

Each kid's turn involved...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Short Run as a Car

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/2500 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hoop Run

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Around a Cone, then Back...

It's a simple course, but the relay nature adds a dimension of excitement that's new for these kids. All had great fun...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

As in earlier years, there are no winners or losers, just fun and encouragement. Last year, I posted in more detail about each of the 15+ events of that festival: parts one, two, and three. The events are different each year, but the overall feeling of age-appropriate fun and inclusiveness applies.

There were events this year where the parents did stuff with the kids, where younger siblings (0-3 years old) could do things, and where older siblings already in grade school could do things. Some events were for a specific class like those illustrated above, and some mixed the ages (with older kids placed in a position to help, support, and lead the younger kids).

It's a lot of work for the few moms that got tasked with putting it on, and for the teachers, but wow, what a wonderful experience they made.