A big day for little citizens
IT was the best kind of pandemonium at The Gympie Civic Centre yesterday, with the Little Kids Day Out seeing a crowd of thousands pack the rooms.
As much an excuse to have a good time, the crux of the event has always been about preparing Gympie's youngest locals for their school lives as well as crucial life skills they'll need as they get older.
"Through research we had seen that children in Gympie were falling behind the Queensland average, and had a number of what we would call 'vulnerabilities',” says Kim Walters, who has been instrumental in running the event.
"We aren't just talking about academics here either, everyday things - life skills.”
A walk around the Civic Centre reveals an incredibly diverse range of activities, from arts and crafts to Tae Kwon Do demonstrations to music and physical exercise activities.
"We don't have something like a jumping castle for an express purpose,” Ms Walters adds.
"As diverse as these activities, they're all designed to develop those skills.”
The day is geared toward a demographic of eight-years-old and under.
Again, this was a deliberate decision on behalf of the organisers.
As they begin to leave this age bracket, they argue, it's only a matter of time before they develop their own diverse interests.
"For the time being,” argues Ms Walters, "There's a lot of common interests.”
The size of the crowd has been a welcome surprise for the event as it enters it's fourth year.
The reception has been overwhelmingly positive amongst parents and children alike.
This community backing has been key to the event's ongoing survival.
"We had initially had some some funding from the Federal Government, which didn't last, Ms Walters says.
"But the State Government and the Gympie Regional Council have stepped in to assist.”
Not to mention the 130 community organisations that have all contributed as well.
"It says a lot about Gympie and it's people,” Ms Walters says.
"When they want to back something, they really get behind a cause.”
