Newtown Daycare hosted its annual sports day, without any picking winners. The school, in New Town’s CE Block, caters to children who are neurotypical as well as those with special needs.
“This event is not about competition,” said Sharmili Shah, a member of the board of trustees of the school and principal of Orchids The International School New Town. “It is about confidence. Even standing at the starting line is a milestone for many of our students.”
The event was held at CE Park near Tank 6, and each activity was linked to a developmental outcome. The frog race tested co-ordination and balance through short hops, the lemon-and-spoon race demanded fine motor control and sustained attention. The ball-sorting race addressed colour recognition and sequencing, while flat races encouraged forward movement along short, visually guided tracks.
Near the finishing line, teachers crouched or stood at eye level, offering verbal prompts and open-handed gestures. “A year ago, my four-year-old daughter Aanshi Chakraborty could not stay in a group,” said Sriparna Mukherjee, one of the parents. “Today, she is following instructions, waiting for her turn and moving with others. We are very happy with the improvement.”
The make-your-child-ready game had parents dress up their wards. Little Arjun Mukherjee secured first place in this, followed by Nirvaan Veer and Devyanka Dutta. The mix-and-match event had kids sorting balls by colour. Vihaan Singh and Gianna Shashni finished this first, with Shaarvi Singh and Riddhiman Ghosh second and Aditi Jha and Shreyan Dey third. Each child received accolades, regardless of ranking.
Founded in 2023, this school caters especially to children with autism spectrum disorder, speech delays, and mild developmental challenges. “We are operating at optimal capacity now, but demand continues to rise, so we are thinking of expanding into a second unit,” said Sudip Kundu, a founding member of the school.