BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – INDEPENDENCE Square was abuzz with infants, teachers and patrons as the month-long celebration of “25 years of Educare, Parenting and Community Affairs” continued with a grand family food fair yesterday (June 19).
The event is an effort by the Early Childhood Development Unit to bring the family together in a fun environment as it has recognised that primary caregivers have a pivotal role in guiding young children through early life transitions. The family fair had a number of booths for children and adults alike and sold only local food and beverages.
Children from various schools, along with their teachers and parents, gathered from about 11:00 a.m. and spent the rest of the day playing games, testing their chances at the lucky dip and sampling the local dishes and drinks being sold. Pancakes, johnny cakes, fritters and conchies comprised the attractive menu, and carrot, cucumber, gooseberry and coconut drinks were but a few of the local beverages.
National Co-ordinator for Early Childhood Development Vanta Walters told SKNVibes that it is critical to foster proper socialisation of the infant learners by ensuring that the family and the schools partner. She said the fair was specifically organised for the family to spend a day together and enjoy local food and fun games. Walters informed that the response from the parents and the general public has been very good, as was the case in previous years.
“The response from the parents, teachers and children has always been very good and today is no exception. One of the things we focus on for this food fair is eating local food. So we are not selling any commercially-produced foods. The day is organised for the specific purpose to get the family coming together and having a meal together,” she said.
Walters declared that proceeds from the fair would go toward offsetting costs incurred during Child Month. She publicly thanked all the donors who willingly gave dishes for the fair, and extended gratitude to all the individuals and institutions that contributed toward the success of early childhood development in the Federation, which she opined “has grown considerably over the years”.
