What is the MindLab Olympics? Why are we so happy to be part of this great event for the first time?

The MindLab Olympics is an international competition designed to challenge and enhance participants’ cognitive, strategic, and social skills through educational games. It is typically aimed at school-aged children and is based on the MindLab Method, which uses strategic board games and activities as tools for learning and personal development.

We represent Romania with the Montessori school team from Timișoara , and this is the story of a fantastic day—a day of learning, growth, and unforgettable experiences.

We woke up early in the morning for the breakfast. Four children, classmates, are the team of the Montessori school and today they will fight for a very good result in the international stage of the MindLab competition that is taking place in Istanbul. It it the 10th MindLab Olympics and today the grand trophy is at stake: it’s the team competition (yesterday were the individual championships).

In the hotel’s lobby and also at breakfast, children from different countries, from four continents, are wearing their countries’ T-shirts. It is so nice to see red, orange, blue, yellow, white or black groups!

Their nervousness is revealed by the lack of appetite at breakfast. They eat very little and they are excited to turn to the hall where the competition is about to start.

The children enter the hall in alphabetical order, carrying the flag of the country they represent (on a prepared soundtrack). Their parents, families, organizers and coaches encourage them with applause and cheers. The atmosphere becomes electrifying. The South-Americans are spectacular: they seem to have this in their nature (they are cheering everybody; they are soo nice to see them). From the conversations with the children, we understood that these moments from the beginning were the most thrilling for them. The emotions grow until the beginning of the first game and then the extreme focus enters the stage.

In the picture, waiting to enter the hall (in alphabetical order): Italy, Panama, Romania, Turkey and The United Kingdom.

The organizers put the teams at their tables for the first game.

After the opening word, at the “Shake your hands” message, the children shake hands with their direct opponents and the games begin. In the peace of the hall, full of hundreds of children and supporters, you can hear the sound of the parts that are being moved on the game board of Abalone: tik-tik-tik, just like a huge machine started working.

Our first game is with Brazil (the champion and vice champion en-titre), which brings very strong teams every year (as a result of their education system). We come back from the round with an excellent result: 3 points out of 4 in the game. There are 6 rounds and every player from the team has one game, so the team can win a maximum of 4 points every round.

The children call Adina, their coach, who is in Timișoara with her new born baby. She couldn’t be there physically with them, in Istanbul, but after a few years of work she is with them in spirit.

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The second round puts us in the game at table 1, with Australia. This year it has an extremely powerful team who won yesterday a champion and a vice champion.

After this round we collect 1.5 points more. The ranking is very tight. With 5.5 points, Australia is on the first place, followed by 3 teams with 4.5 points, including our team.

In the picture, the two Abalone players: Romania and Australia who are happy to end the round with a draw and who have become friends after the souvenirs exchange and the very disputed and correct game that just ended. (Besides, they were both awarded at the individual championships.)

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At round number 3, we meet with the Bucharest team, the great champion of Romania, we being the vice champions of the country. They have the same number of points as us at the beginning, they are aspiring, just like us. We make 1.5 points again.

After half of the competition has passed, we have 6 points. On the first place goes Italy with 9 points. After every round the order of the teams changes. The scored are so tight, that a draw (0.5 points) can get you a few spots up or down the ranking. We’ve had hard games! We’ve probably met the most powerful teams, so from now on we can recover our 3 points. Our children are focused, optimistic and even relaxed between the rounds. They run on the hallway, they crush tables.

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In round 4, we play with the host team, Turkey. Yesterday they won many silver and bronze medals at the individual competitions. Moreover, they are playing at home. This doesn’t matter to us. We are taking all of their points: 4!

We come back on the second place after Brazil. The score is very tight! There are 2 points differences between 7 teams. Such players! Actually, such children! And what an experience to be here! We can think a little bit and take example from the participants and the values of MindLab. 2 more rounds. The children that can resist pressure and tiredness, that can concentrate until the end, will be the winners.

We tell our children that the fight is tight. All that has been until now doesn’t matter anymore, practically the competition starts now. They leave aside their frustrations and the hypothetical discussions and become very present, and they give up thinking about scenarios and math. Only their game matters; from now on, every point is crucial. Everyone needs to focus on their board and give the best in them! And it seems they did this very easily in the end.

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In the 5th round we play with Hungary. 2 won games and 2 draws, we win 3 points in total. Very well, children!

The ranking before the final round:

Brazil – 15 points

Romania, Montessori – 13 points

Australia – 11.5 points

I ask the kids if they want to talk to Adina during the break before the final round. They are excited to call her and talk to her and listen to her last directions.

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In the final round (the 6th) we play with UK and Brazil plays with Australia… a hard game for them, a crucial game for us.

Our children know that the medal depends on this last game. They start the round with no agitation and they come back with 3.5 points! Brazil (as we expected), doesn’t cope with the powerful team of Australia, taking only 1 point.

Final ranking:

Romania, Montessori – 16.5 points

Brazil – 16 points

Australia – 14.5 points

The great trophy, the MindLab Cup, and the gold medals from the team contest are coming to Romania for the first time after 10 years of competitions!

Congratulations, children! You stayed focused, supported one another, and proved to be an amazing team!