Inflatables for children, cotton candy, face painting, twisted balloons, artistic performances of children from Ełk kindergartens, performances of children from Lithuania – these are the attractions during the opening of the Montessori Sensory Garden. The festival took place today (2 June) at 10.00.

Ceremonial opening of the garden and symbolic intersection the ribbon was made by the mayor of Ełk Tomasz Andrukiewicz, director of the Municipal Kindergarten "Sunny Eight" Edyta Dąbrowska, as well as guests from Lithuania: Director of the Community Center of the City of Alytus - Loreta Trainaviciene, representative of the municipality of the Łoździeje region - Sonata Dumbliauskiene and children.

Then, after the official part, the artistic part began. Children from Ełk kindergartens and children from Lithuania presented themselves:

• MP "Sunny Eight" in Ełk
• Children from Lithuania (Lazdijai, Alytus)
• MP "PEREŁKA" named after Jan Brzechwa in Ełk
• MP "BAJKA" in Ełk
• MP "Light" in Ełk
• MP "LITTLE EXPLORERS"
• Kindergarten No. 1 "EKOLUDKI" in Ełk
• Kinga Romanowska "PAARO" and children MP "Sunny Eight in Ełk"

After the dance performances, the ceremony was graced by soloists from the Ełk Cultural Centre.

WATCH THE VIDEO FROM THE GRAND OPENING OF THE PARK

Information about the investment:

Montessori Sensory Garden is a public a park of a sports and recreational nature. The garden has the function of specific "tutoring" the child's senses such as sight, smell, touch and supports so called small motor skills.

The value of the investment under the contract with the contractor is over PLN 1.58 million, of which slightly over PLN 1 million is co-financing in as part of the project "Cross-border Community of Understanding" from the INTERREG Programme Lithuania – Poland 2014-2020.

Montessori Sensory Garden is divided into 9 diverse zones, stimulating the senses and developing a variety of skills and its users.

• Backyard games zone – equipped m.in with: backyard game boards: twister, Chinese, labyrinth, class game, letter game.
• Fitness zone – designed on a sand surface, cushioning the fall. Available there such devices as: ladder, fitness set, mesh/climbing, posts, movable platform, moving maze.
• Sports Games Zone – devices in this zone develop the ability to plan, work in a group and reflexes. Children will be able to play table tennis, chess and table football.
• Acoustic zone – the zone develops primarily everyone's hearing and sense of rhythm thanks to the drums available there, humming pipes, a deaf phone, bells, dulcimers.
• Magnetic Devices Zone – devices in this zone approximate and explain a number of principles of physics that children will get to know thanks to such devices as: Newton's cradle, cuddly wall, mill wheel / "hamster", giant kaleidoscope, two mirrors, Lissajous figures.
• Central Square – here is the m.in clock solar.
• Optical zone – devices in this zone such as: crater (spatial vision), Newton's shield (colors), mirror explain the manner in which optical illusions are formed;
• Practical zone – divided into two zones, i.e. an ecological garden and a sand zone.
• Relaxation and smell zone – a wicker tunnel leads to it; m.in benches for seating, barbecue, fireplace with seating stumps and hammock.

Each of the zones has been equipped with appropriate devices and elements of small architecture. The park has been monitored.