Plenty, but fortunately for everyone at the Edgar Centre yesterday, the shot puts were wheat bags, and the javelins and the horses were made out of sponge rubber.
So the only tears at the Pioneers Home-Based Education and Care Services mini Olympic games were tears of joy.
"The kids just had so much fun," services team leader and event co-ordinator Linda McRae said.
"They’re all very excited to be taking part in our mini Olympics.
"It’s all about celebrating culture and inclusion. A lot of our families’ cultures are represented here today. We’ve got India, Spain, Brazil, Scotland, New Zealand — so many countries here."
The mini games were about getting together and celebrating each other’s successes and cultures, she said.
![Preschool athletes (from left) Charlotte Guest, Margot Carruthers, Patrick Hawkins and Grace...](https://www.odt.co.nz/sites/default/files/styles/odt_landscape_extra_large_4_3/public/story/2024/08/mini_olympics_06_080824.jpg?itok=N_gCAw9X)
"It’s about un-teaching racism."
Mrs McRae said the children had been learning about the Olympic Games in the buildup to their mini-event, and their educators had been teaching them about the countries they were representing.
"They’ve been taught how to say ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ in their country’s native language, and they’ve also been looking at foods, music and flags from those countries."
The event was also an opportunity to learn new physical skills, she said.
The games started with an opening ceremony, where the children marched around the Edgar Centre behind a toddler carrying an Olympic torch, and concluded with a medal ceremony where all the national anthems were played.