MANCHESTER — William McCarthy eyeballed the wooden board that karate instructor Dalton McLaughlin held in front of him during the Boys and Girls Club of Manchester’s Day for Kids on Saturday at the Radisson Hotel Expo Center.

The 5-year-old stepped forward, thrust both hands at the wood and snapped the board in the half.

“I pushed it, and I cracked it open,” McCarthy said, proudly displaying the two formerly joined pieces of wood.

The seventh annual event was an effort by the Boys and Girls Club to provide a free, fun way for parents and children to spend time together and discover vendors that cater to families, said B.J. Eckhardt, event coordinator. Panera Bread was the event’s main sponsor. Other sponsors included Market Basket, Bellwether Credit Union and the New Hampshire Union Leader.

The event featured, among other things, a small petting zoo, train rides, big-wheels cycle racing, a fingernail polishing station and the demonstrations by the Manchester Karate Studio that McCarthy participated in.

“We love this,” said Henry Cote of Manchester, who rode the train with his daughter, Rose. “It’s an annual trip for us. It’s just awesome.”

“It gives us great information about kid-related vendors,” said Calley Milne of Manchester, whose daughter, Sienna, was getting a free fingernail polishing by Courtney Irzyk, a student at Michael’s School of Hair Design in Bedford.

Milne said her family signed up for karate lessons last year with Manchester Karate Studio because of the Day for Kids event.

“I love it,” she said.

Eckhardt said organizers estimated about 5,000 children and parents would visit Saturday’s event, at which the Boys and Girls Club accepted donations, but charged no admission fee.

“It’s really to get parents to spend time with their kids,” she said. “It’s not about making money.”

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Tim Buckland may be reached at tbuckland@unionleader.com.