SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Offering parents an exceptional chance to explore educational and developmental resources outside of conventional school environments, the Early Childhood Development Fair 2024 kicked off on Thursday at Umm Al Emarat Park.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, the event features 50 workshops, 10 interactive activities, as well as 48 service providers.
Titled "Curiosity Can Take You Places”, the event is organised by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), in partnership with the National Academy for Childhood Development (NACD).
Tailored for children aged 0-8, the event draws attention to curiosity, discovery, creativity, and learning through interactive, educational, and recreational events that promote cognitive and physical growth.
The workshops and activities are available for families to take part in, like storytelling sessions, interactive art, cultural events, as well as unique activities designed for kids.
In order to provide a stimulating atmosphere for children, the fair also encourages family participation and cooperation between parents, educators, service providers, and investors.
Among the noteworthy programmes are interactive painting experiences, race vehicle design with Grand Prix, hands-on activities led by OliOli, and STEAM-focused activities for younger kids.
Storytelling workshops are also held by Warner Bros. while traditional crafts are taught in the Emirati handicrafts workshops.
Children can learn about Arabic storytelling and falconry through the entertainment programme's storytelling workshops and stage competitions.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the event, Ahmed Alharmi, Head of Outreach and Engagement at the Early Childhood Authority, said: "The Early Childhood Development Fair is in its second edition this year, in cooperation with our main partner, the National Academy for Childhood Development, along with many strategic partners."
"For the first time, OliOli Company is present, offering us numerous educational and entertainment programmes. We also have collaboration with Warner Bros. for the first time, which provides comics and the Student Union to draw stories that express the students' ambitions and how they envision their futures," he added.
Alharmi highlighted the fair's partnerships with over 50 private service providers and government partners, including the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) - Abu Dhabi, for healthcare and children's skills development.
Also speaking to Aletihad, Sultan Almheiri from Bidaya Media, a leading production company in the MENA region dedicated to developing original content for children, drew attention to their series “The Adventures of Mansour: Age of A.I.”
"We participated in the event with meet-and-greets featuring the characters Mansour and Shamma, engaging in interactive workshops with children, colouring posters, and distributing stickers."