Story by Fairstars Mukungurutse
A lively and heart-warming competition recently took place in Harare, featuring babies showcasing their crawling skills in a rare but entertaining event.
Spectators were delighted as the tiny competitors crawled across the floor on their hands and knees, each aiming for the coveted top prize, making it a memorable and joyful experience for families and onlookers alike.
The event, which involved babies between six and twelve months, took place in Harare’s Kuwadzana suburb.
With their parents cheering them on, some babies had the tenacity and surprising awareness to make it to the finishing line, while others, as expected, took their precious time, exploring their surroundings.
It was no surprise that a few others crawled backwards and sideways or simply decided to rest on their tummies, adding more twist to the fun.
Parents described the event as an adorable adventure.
“We stay alone, but today my baby got a chance to mingle with other kids, and it was fun. I am really excited as a mom because my baby came out number 3,” a parent Primrose Makuvaza said.
“I am really happy today, my baby was number one in their category. It was really exciting and the first time I have seen something like this,” another parent, Mercy Mwale said.
“The competition was tough, but it was a nice experience. It is something that is very important for babies to mix and mingle. There were moments she just decided to sit down, but I am happy she picked herself up and emerged number 2,” a parent Yolanda Kadzviti said.
“We really enjoyed the race, but I noticed that most of our kids these days are always locked inside, and they struggle to interact with other kids. So I just encourage all the mothers and fathers out there that you should maybe take your kids outdoors, sometimes maybe once a day, or for a few hours, so that they get to interact with nature, but we really enjoyed,” another parent, Ranganai Chikwama said
Event organisers said the main thrust was a joyful celebration of childhood and development.
“Our objective was to see how mothers are caring for the babies. It was so impressive to see how cute the babies are, how healthy the babies are, and our objective is. We are also encouraging parents to send children for immunisations, keep their immunisation schedules up to date and bring babies to the hospital if they are not feeling well,” Matron Blue Waters Hospital Mrs Dorothy Chirindo said.
The competition was not just about speed; it was also about encouraging the babies to explore and have fun.
