Belcia Prakash The emergence of Indian badminton players such as P.V. Sindhu, B. Sai Praneet and Saina Nehwal as global superstars of the international circuit has sparked unprecedented interest in this racquet game. This fast-reflexes sport has become popular with children and adults alike with some sports commentators ranking it the second most popular game in the country after cricket. Historically, badminton has been played non-competitively in India as a leisure sport for several decades. The fastest racquet game in the world requires quick thinking and movement, and improves body flexibility and mental concentration. Whether you’re lunging, diving, running and getting your heart pumping, a game of badminton burns around 450 calories. Moreover, playing badminton improves heart health, lowers the production of sugar by the liver, builds muscle strength and improves metabolism. “Badminton is a fast and flexible sport. Playing this game regularly ensures overall good health and fitness. It enhances blood flow, burns calories, improves body flexibility, induces good sleep, and improves brain functioning. In particular school and college students should play this sport,” advises Jasper David, a Chennai-based sports coach. With the rising popularity of badminton and mushrooming training academies, children displaying potential have numerous options to play competitively and turn professional. “A rising number of children are opting to play badminton competitively. Typically they start at the school level, moving to zonal, district, state and then to national and international championships. With the game becoming popular, many training centres which offer excellent coaching have sprung up. High levels of physical fitness, quick thinking, well developed arm-eye coordination and body agility are critical requisites to succeed in this game professionally,” says A. Nazar, a retired badminton coach and former district sports officer of Calicut for over 25 years, who also worked with the Indian national badminton team for 16 years. Its physical fitness and health benefits apart, badminton is an enjoyable leisure sport which can be played by all family members including adults and children. Popular badminton training academies Gopichand Academy, Hyderabad Suchitra Academy, Hyderabad Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, Bangalore Shasu Sports Badminton Academy, Chennai Sports Authority of India’s badminton training centre, Delhi Bengal Badminton Academy, Kolkata
Anitha Bennett Fortuitously India has a 7,516 km coastline offering picturesque tropical beaches and exquisite coral and marine life. So if your family is mesmerised by multi-coloured corals and bright coloured fish that live deep under, you needn’t go far. India offers many exotic snorkelling destinations. Among the most popular are Goa, Pondicherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Snorkelling is an enjoyable family activity with children above six allowed to snorkel under adult supervision in most destinations. Though knowledge of basic swimming is preferable, there are many non-swimmers who can snorkel with ease in shallow ocean waters. Moreover all locations rent snorkelling gear and offer crash courses by experts. Snorkelling equipment Mask. A good quality mask with lens that don’t fog up enables snorkelers to see underwater life clearly. Snorkel. A dry snorkel is ideal as it has a valve that ‘shuts off ’ the snorkel top when submerged and automatically ‘opens up’ when you are overwater. Fins/flippers. For deep diving and fast swimming, lightweight, flexible flippers are good. They also protect you from the jagged coral underwater. Wetsuit. It keeps the body warm under the sea. But a swimsuit works just fine in Indian tropical waters. Precautions Before going snorkelling, ensure you are physically fit and especially check that blood pressure levels are normal to avoid dizziness underwater. Ask your instructor about possible dangers in that part of the ocean. The dangers could range from protruding coral reefs to jelly fish. Always better to snorkel in a group, especially if it is your first time. Best snorkelling locations Andaman and Nicobar Islands Havelock Island Neil Island, Cique Island Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park Lakshadweep Kadmat Island, Bangaram Island Goa Grande Island Davy Jones, Suzy’s Wreck Tunnel Shelter Cove, Locker Sail Rock Training centres Barracuda Diving India 339/2A, Coima Vaddo, Quitula Aldona, Bardez, Goa 403508 www.barracudadiving.com Ph: 9822182402 / 9822367947 Dive India Scuba diving in Andamans, with training centres in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore Ph: 9531835508 Temple Adventures 9 Archbishop Gandhi Street 1st Road, Colas Nagar, Puducherry 605001 Ph: 9940219449 Andaman Scuba Club Pvt. Ltd P.O. Bag 9, Port Blair 744 101 Also read: Andaman and Nicobar Islands: India’s islands in the sun
Anitha Bennett Parenting is challenging and stressful at all times. However, levels of parental stress and anxiety have increased with the pressures of intermittent pandemic lockdowns and work/study from home schedules. After interviews with several wellness experts, we present a spa guide for parents to de-stress, unwind and rejuvenate in the comfort of their homes. What you need • Bathtub, big or small • Essential oil (Lavender is good for relaxation, but you could also try rose, citrus or jasmine) • Coconut oil • Aromatic candles • Soft music • Aromatic face pack or face pack made of multani mitti or sandalwood • Rose water • Body scrub • Mildly perfumed shampoo and conditioner • Pumice stone • Shower gel • Loofah • Face cleanser • Moisturizer • Cold beverage • Book/magazine Set the mood. Light candles and place them around the bathroom. Play soft instrumental music. Clear your bathroom of clutter. Inform your family members not to disturb you for the next hour. Get things ready. Fill tub with warm water. (If you don’t have a bathtub, collapsible, inflatable tubs can be used). Add a few drops of essential oil. Mix the face pack with rose water and place it in a bowl nearby. Keep the scrub ready. Place the shampoo, conditioner and pumice stone in a tray. Start by rubbing coconut oil into your scalp. Use your fingertips to make small circles, covering the entire scalp. Scrub off. Next, rub your body with the scrub to exfoliate skin. Relax, soak in, sip your favourite drink and catch up on your reading. After 15 minutes wash off the body scrub using firm, circular movements. Shampoo hair. Apply shampoo and massage your head with fingertips before washing off. Apply conditioner. Feet care. Scrub off the dead cells on your feet with a pumice stone. Use an old toothbrush to clean toenails. Rub between your toes to dislodge dirt. Finish off. Wash off your conditioner thoroughly in warm water and wrap your hair up in a towel. Wrap body with a warm towel as well. Apply the face pack and relax once again with your drink and book. After 20 minutes, wash off your face with warm water. End your spa session by slathering your body with a moisturizer. Also read: Natural home remedies for children
Anitha Bennett Rainbow colours streaming in through your window with light, tinkling chimes. Sounds good? Get your children excited about it, and work on making it happen. Working on a craft project for your home is a great way to encourage family bonding. Materials needed • Cardboard — 1 sheet • Cellophane/metallic paper — 5 sheets in different colours • Black chart paper — 1 sheet • A few tiny bells or the jingles found in anklets • Scissors, punching machine, paints, brushes • Thin satin ribbon, stapler, glue How to make one circle 1. Cut out two circles of 3 cm diameter from the cardboard. 2. Carefully cut out an inner circle of 2 cm diameter from each of the cardboard circles. You will now have two cardboard circles resembling bangles. 3. Cut out one circle of 3 cm diameter from cellophane paper. 4. Alternately, you can use saucers and bangles to draw and cut the inner and outer circles. 5. Next make a small paper cut-out of a heart or star from the black chart paper. 6. Stick the heart to the centre of the cellophane paper. 7. Sandwich the cellophane paper between the two cardboard bangles using glue and stapler. You will now get a lovely circle with glass paper and a shape in the middle. Assembling the glass chime 1. Make five such circles using different colours of cellophane paper. 2. Paint the cardboard part in vibrant colours, preferably colours in contrast to the colour of the cellophane paper inside. 3. Punch holes on the top and bottom of the cardboard glass circle and attach circles one below the other with bits of satin ribbon. 4. Loop a few tiny bells through the punched bottom hole of the last circle. 5. Loop a long satin ribbon through the punched top hole of the first circle and hang it up near the sunniest window of the house. Alternately, draw and cut curves in different colours, attach the edges with craft glue, and make a single rainbow like the one in the picture. Hang a few tiny bells so that they gently tap each other in the breeze. You will see that as sunlight passes through your glass chime, your room will have coloured light all around.
Benita Sen There’s nothing like an interesting experiment to get your child hooked to science. Try this experiment with your child, and witness the intriguing effect together. If she is old enough, add explanations about electrons and protons. If not, just enjoy the experiment. Things you need Plastic comb Thread Woollen sweater A few pieces of puffed rice Cellotape The Experiment Tie a 12-inch long thread to a grain of puffed rice. Glue the thread to the edge of a table where it can swing freely. Vigorously rub the comb on a woollen sweater. Slowly, bring the comb close to the rice grain without touching it. The rice grain will swing towards the comb and stick to it. Let it remain there. It will soon fall away. Then move the comb close to the rice grain. It will move away from the comb this time. The Explanation Static electricity is what made the puffed rice grain and comb interact this way. You experience static electricity when your hair sticks to your comb, or your synthetic clothes crackle in dry weather. Atoms in an object are made of electrons, neutrons and protons. Each one has an electric charge. Electrons — negative Protons — positive Neutrons — no charge When electrons move from one atom to another, the charge of an atom changes. Atoms usually transfer electrons so that they can maintain the balance of having the same number of electrons and protons in each atom. Materials with the opposite electrical charge attract each other. Those with the same charge repel each other. When you rubbed the comb on the sweater, electrons moved between the two. Rubbing the comb on the sweater made electrons move into the comb, giving it a negative charge. So the puffed rice grain was attracted to it and electrons moved from the comb to the grain. After that, the comb and the rice grain had the same electrical charge, so they repelled each other. Encourage your child to try such experiments. Conducting experiments together is definitely more inspiring than just buying her a book of experiments, or showing her a science-based website. You’ll rediscover the joy of science too! Also read: Science at home: Lemon volcano
With several paintball sport arenas providing international quality equipment mushrooming in the metros and tier II cities, many families are enthusiastically taking to this recreational sport – K.P. Malini With state governments easing Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, many families are cautiously starting to engage in outdoor sports and adventure activities. One outdoor activity which is fast gaining popularity is paintballing, a sport where teams of players pretend to be in a warzone, shooting each other with small paintballs of different colours from an air weapon called paintball marker. With several paintball sport arenas providing international quality equipment mushrooming in the metros and tier II cities, many families are enthusiastically taking to this recreational sport. According to Wikipedia, paintballing is “a competitive team shooting sport in which players eliminate opponents from play by hitting them with spherical dye-filled gelatin capsules (paintballs) that break on impact. Paintballs are usually shot using a low-energy air weapon called paintball marker that is powered by compressed air (nitrogen) or carbon dioxide.” The paintballs are non-toxic, water soluble and bio-degradable. “Paintballing has emerged as a popular recreational sport in India. In families it’s a fun sport for children with corporates also playing it for team building purposes,” says Swapneel Shetty, CEO, PaintBall X, Bangalore (estb. 2011) who adds that the garden city hosts over 30 paintball arenas. Even though this game is played mainly as a recreational sport, it is also emerging as a competitive team game with several foreign countries organising professional tournaments. In India too, competitive paintball tournaments are being held in several cities including Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. Shetty is a member of Team X which played at the National X Ball League 2018 — Asia held in Malaysia and was placed #5 in the tournament. According to Shetty, the game can be played indoors or outdoors in fields of varying size called concepts, a mix of natural terrain and man-made obstacles. The most popular gameplay is to capture the enemy’s flag followed by elimination, defending or attacking a particular point or area, or capturing objects of interest hidden in the concept area, or just plain shooting at sight within a specified time frame. Games played outdoors in natural terrain can last one or two days. Paintballing was created by Americans, Charles Gaines and Bill Gurnsey, in 1981. Together with 12 friends, they played the first paintball game using industrial paintball guns on a 100 acre field. In India, paintball dates back to 2005 when TPCI (The Paintball Co) signed up with PALS (Paintball Asia League Series), which governs the sport in the Asian circuit, to launch the country’s first commercial paintball park on the outskirts of the national capital at Damdama Lake in Gurgaon, Haryana. Over time, this recreational game has become more sophisticated with people grouping into teams. New concepts and styles of play are being continuously developed. The basic game is that players must attain a pre-decided goal without being shot and marked with a paintball. Eliminated players are expected to…
Five family movies which will help children to develop their emotional quotient – Dainty Wellington With the Covid-19 pandemic upending lives with its new routine of masks wearing, social distancing and work from home and online classes, it’s become critically important to develop children’s emotional quotient (EQ) to enable them to express and manage their emotions, develop the virtues of empathy, communication and capability to cope with stress. A good way to build children’s inherent EQ is to watch carefully selected movies that prompt parents and children to empathise with positive characters, discuss difficult situations and assess the positive and negative qualities of lead characters. Here are five carefully selected family movies which will help children to develop their latent EQ. Rise of the Guardians (2012) Based on the book series The Guardians of Childhood by William Joyce, Rise of Guardians is an animated action and fantasy film produced by DreamWorks in 2012. The story follows four guardians: North, the protector of Christmas, Bunny, protector of Easter, Toothiana the Tooth Fairy and Sandman, the protector of dreams. When an old enemy, Pitch Black, arises from the dead to sabotage Christmas celebrations, the four Guardians invoke the notorious Spirit of Winter; i.e, Jack Frost to stop him. Frost has a penchant for mischief and stirring up trouble. Frost is also a myth and invisible to the human eye, because no one believes in him. As the movie progresses, the Guardians and Jack Frost work together to save the Xmas dreams of the world’s children. Though dark and moody at times, the movie teaches children the importance of faith, friendship and family. Onward (2020) Onward is a computer-animated urban fantasy adventure film produced by Walt Disney Pictures last year. The voice cast includes Tom Holland and Christ Pratt, the Marvel stars who voice the characters of two brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot. The story follows the two brothers in their quest to resurrect their father for one day. An animated fantasy film, it uses several mythical creatures as characters and names from famous myths including Arthurian mythology. Onward is sensitive in its detailed exploration of loss of a loved one and the importance of letting people into your heart to heal and nourish life. The brothers, Ian and Barley, exhibit a strong bond that will melt your hearts. Enola Holmes (2020) In detective movies lore, Sherlock Holmes is a legend. However, Enola Holmes explores the life of Sherlock’s unknown sister, Enola, which is ‘alone’ spelt backwards, a name bestowed on her by her mother to impress upon her that she needs no one but herself to survive. Based on the book by Nancy Springer, Enola Holmes is set in mid to late 19th century Britain and follows Enola as she tries to solve a puzzle given to her by her mother on her 16th birthday. When her brother Mycroft arrives to take her to a finishing school, Enola rebels and sets off to London to find her mother who went missing on…
– Somnath Das The World Bank estimates that India is one of the biggest generators of waste in the world — 277.1 million tonnes of waste generated in 2016; estimated to touch 387.8 million tonnes in 2030. In this context, it is imperative that we make efforts to educate children about the three R’s of waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle. Moreover, to break away from the use-and-throw culture, teach children to go beyond recycling to upcylcing i.e, recycling discarded objects/materials to create products of higher quality or value than the original. Upcycling, put simply, is recycling with chic. During the lockdown, many households upcycled used objects — for instance old CDs into coasters, tyres into sofas, saris into quilts, old clothes into bags, and the like. Not everyone wants to discard an object associated with happy memories. In upcycling, you get to keep your possession, transforming it into something useful. DIY Penguin Organiser Use this craft activity to initiate your child into upcycling. Materials Tissue roll tube or any sturdy cardboard tube Scissors Craft glue Bright coloured paper – orange, red, black and white Newspaper Process Spread a sheet of newspaper and make sure you have a dust bin nearby, and all the raw materials. If your cardboard tube does not have a base, cut a circular piece of paper slightly bigger than the roll and paste the roll on it. Make slits on the edges, fold and paste. Take orange paper and cut enough to roll around the tube, with some excess paper sticking out above and below. Use fevicol to paste paper. Make small slits above and below, fold them inwards and paste inside the roll to give a neat finish. Cut white ovals as in the picture and paste them. Cut a small triangle for the nose and paste as shown. Cut black ovals for eyeballs and paste them within the white ovals for the eyes. Make two thin paper rolls from the orange paper and paste the edges as shown. Bend the end of the paper rolls and fix them to the tube. Your organiser is ready. Let it dry and use it to store rolls of gift wrapping sheets, a set of color pencils, or an assortment of stationery. Also read: Family bonding benefit
As the country enters Unlock 5.0 and travel restrictions are being eased by state governments, trekking is emerging as a popular outdoor family activity to unwind and de-stress – Archana N. In his bestselling book The Land Beyond: A Thousand Miles on Foot through the Heart of the Middle East (2017), Irish author Leon McCarron chronicles a trek from Jerusalem to Mount Sinai in Egypt, and details his interactions with people en route who often asked him why he was walking. His answer: “Walking is the slowest possible way to go through a place. And that means that you see it in a much deeper way.” 2020 — the pandemic year — has been tough on all people of all age groups. Covid-19 restrictions and stay-at-home orders have taken a toll on people’s physical, emotional and mental health. Now, as the country enters Unlock 5.0 and lockdown restrictions are being eased by state governments, a rising number of families are venturing forth to local destinations, and several treks and trails have opened up to hikers and trekkers. Trekking is emerging as a popular outdoor en famille activity to unwind and de-stress. It improves health and fitness, alleviates emotional well-being and promotes family bonding. A 2015 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, found that individuals who walked 90 minutes within a natural habitat indicated decreased activity in part of the brain associated with depression compared with those who walked in high-traffic urban settings. Here are some guidelines to plan a family trekking expedition: With Covid-19 infection still a threat, choose a local/driving distance destination for trekking. Check the latest weather report of the destination before heading out. “It’s important to check out the weather report as excessive rain may damage trekking trails,” says Chandan H.N., founder, Trekkers, a Bengaluru/Mysuru-based camping and trekking tours company. If you’re a first-timer it’s advisable to accompany professionals. “Safety is important. If a trek includes adventure activities such as rock climbing, it’s important to sign up for the services of professional instructors. Also if the trek is in a forest/remote area, it’s advisable to enlist the services of guides familiar with the trekking trail. Moreover, forest treks require permission of forest department officials,” says Clement Dominic, operations executive, Bangalore Mountaineering Club. Write down a backpacking checklist. Under-packing is as detrimental as over-packing. An ideal backpack should not be more than 25-30 percent of your body weight. Pack clothes, toiletries and other items according to their need. Essential items include travel documents, first aid kit, medication and sterilizing kit, mosquito repellent, sanitiser, mask, raincoat, water bottle, torch light, personal medication, energy food, sunscreen and sunglasses. “For overnight treks, you can rent waterproof tents, solar lanterns and other equipment to reduce expenses,” says Chandan H.N Distribute the weight in the backpack so the lightest items are packed at bottom. Heavy items should be packed at the centre of your pack and close to your back. Also read: Discover the Garden City & its environs
Here’s a simple DIY activity to design a desktop organiser to declutter study/work stations at home – Cynthia John Many parents are encouraging children to engage in art and crafts activities during this unprecedented learn-from-home period to beat pandemic-related anxiety and stress and rising digital addiction. Here’s a simple DIY (do it yourself) activity to design a desktop organiser to declutter study/work stations at home. Materials Empty cardboard box Scissors Craft glue Brightly coloured cloth A cheerful photograph Cardboard (from old notebook covers) Paint and brush Process Use a ruler to mark off 4 cm or more from the bottom of the front surface of the box. Make marks on the right and left edges and draw a line to join them. On both the side faces, draw a diagonal line connecting the upper edge (towards the back) with the markings made on the front edge. Cut off the top cover of the box. Cut along the lines drawn, using a sturdy pair of scissors. Next, use craft glue to stick the cloth around the box. Beginning with one edge of the cloth at the back, pull the cloth all the way around till it overlaps the edge you started with. Now that you know how much you need, cut it neatly. Stick the first edge at the back, pull it taut and stick the end over the edge you began with. You’ll have to make slits on the top front edges so that you can fold it in. Pull the cloth taut over all the edges, fold inwards and stick. Do the same at the bottom, making neat folds when necessary. Make sure the cloth is flat and taut at the bottom so that it does not make a shaky base. Now cut out the picture you have chosen — from a magazine, sticker sheet or wrapping paper. Cut around it in its shape. Place the cut-out on cardboard and draw a line around it. Cut the cardboard a little inside the line. Make two such cardboard pieces. Stick the cardboard pieces on each other and the picture cut-out on top of it for a 3D effect. Paint the back of this with a matching colour or black for a better finish. When it is dry, stick it on the front of the organiser, with part of it sticking out. Your desktop organiser is ready. You can store all your knick-knacks within arm’s reach. An even larger box can be used to make an organiser that stores books or files. Use textured cloth for better effect.
The latest lockdown baking trend on social media, focaccia bread art is an enjoyable lockdown family activity – Parvathy Menon Focaccia bread art is the latest lockdown baking trend on social media. Focaccia — a flat Italian bread — has become the new canvas for amateur chefs and kitchen artists developing culinary skills during the pandemic lockdown. Olives, bell peppers, mushrooms, sausages, meat strips and sundry toppings are used as embellishments for presenting trees, forests, human faces. Creating these edible works of art is an enjoyable lockdown family activity. Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread similar in style and texture to pizza dough. It can be served with meals or used as sandwich bread. Ingredients 2 cups warm water divided into two bowls 5 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup olive oil for the pan and for drizzling on the focaccia bread 1 tbsp granulated sugar 2.5 tsp active dry yeast ¼ cup olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp salt 2 tsp rosemary Vegetables, herbs and meat for the topping Preparation guide Add one cup of warm water to the yeast and sugar and mix thoroughly. Set aside for about 5 minutes. Now, knead a dough by adding about 1 cup of flour and mix using a blender. Add the rest of the water, olive oil and salt and half of the remaining flour. Continue adding the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add a few more tablespoons of flour until it comes together. The dough will be very soft. Keep mixing until the dough develops enough gluten so that when you touch it, it bounces back. Place your dough in a bowl with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in size. If you’re using active dry yeast, it will take longer to double in size. Pour enough olive oil into a 12″x17″ sheet pan (or any pan of similar size) so there is a thin layer of oil covering the entire bottom of the pan. Rub olive oil on your hands to prevent sticking and then pull the focaccia dough out of the bowl. It will be loose. Divide into two. Place it in the pan and begin stretching it. Once you’re done stretching, cover it with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge overnight. When you’re ready to bake your bread, take it out of the fridge and let it warm for about 30 minutes. Dimple the surface with oiled fingers to create some areas where the olive oil can collect. Drizzle a good amount of olive oil onto the top of the bread until all the dimples have a little oil in them. Sprinkle salt on top. After your focaccia has risen for 30 minutes, decorate the top with veggies, herbs and meats. Check out social media for ideas on how to create bread art. Some ideas for embellishments — sliced…
Cynthia John Memorisation is an important skill that helps children to succeed academically. Every day, a school-going child’s memory is challenged by the need to remember numbers, formulae, facts and more. Here are some quick and easy memory enhancement techniques for primary school children: Visual memorisation It’s much easier for the human brain to recall an image than a list of words. Choose a random list of objects and advise your child to ideate a visual representing the list of words. For instance, you could task them to memorise this list: Car Elephant Book Pen Umbrella Plate Chair Visualise a small car with a large elephant sitting on it. The elephant is holding a large pen, with a book balanced on the pen and a green umbrella on which there is a chair with a plate of corn on it. Visualising this image will commit it to memory and recalling it will enable your child to remember the associated words. Practice turning every lesson into a visual learning exercise. You can also encourage children to use flash cards, diagrams, and videos to remember lessons. Acronym An acronym is made out of the first letter of several words. The popular acronym VIBGYOR denotes the colours of the rainbow. It’s not difficult for children to create acronyms to remember lists. For instance, if this list of fruits needs to be memorised: Orange Pineapple Apple Banana Mango Guava Easily recallable acronym suggestions: BAMGOP, POMGAB or BOMGAP. Hum a tune Children and adults memorise songs more easily than fact, figures and school lessons. When an important sentence/paragraph needs to be memorised, try putting it into the tune of a song. Now sing it together with your child several times, and you’ll find that the words have already been memorised. For instance try turning this simple maths lesson into a song (you can also accompany yourselves with a musical instrument): (Tune of Happy Birthday) “Triangles have three sides Rectangles have four sides Yes, squares also have four sides But they are all the same.” Also read: The joy & benefits of learning music
Have you experienced how the stress and strains of a hard school/work day melt away when you listen to your favourite musical tracks? Listening to music has a calm and soothing effect on the body, slows down heart and pulse rate, and lowers blood pressure and stress hormone levels. While hearing music has palliative effects, encouraging children to learn to play a musical instrument not only reduces stress but enables their cognitive development. Cognitive Development In multiple studies conducted, and reports published around the world, it’s been clearly established that music education greatly aids the cognitive development of children. Children who learn music have higher IQs because music engages the left and right brain simultaneously. A study conducted jointly by the University of Wisconsin and University of California at Irvine in 1997 indicates that three-four-year-olds with eight months of music instruction, including singing and keyboard lessons, averaged 43 percent more in IQ tests than children who weren’t signed up for music lessons. Similarly, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study reveals that the cerebral cortex of concert pianists is 30 percent larger than of acknowledged intellectuals without music education. Likewise, a research study conducted by Susan Hallam in 2010 at the Institute of Education, University of London, concluded that students with formal music education tend to record higher academic scores in primary, middle and high school years. Anxiety Reduction Playing a musical instrument or singing a tune or even mere listening to music helps to reduce anxiety and depression in children and adults. A 2019 research study conducted by Florida National University found that students who studied while listening to ambient music reported reduction in stress and anxiety and improved concentration and brain function. Some common types of ambient music include orchestra and recorded sounds of waterfalls, birds, rain. Improved Concentration Numerous research studies have highlighted that violinists, saxophonists, keyboardists and other instrumentalists tend to have better concentration skills and and tend to be less aggressive, depressed and more equable than non-musicians. Music focus primes and prepares the human brain for heightened emotional arousal and concentration. Moreover playing a musical instrument triggers the release of dopamine — the ‘happy’ hormone which also controls body movement, memory, and focus. “Music probably does something unique,” says neuropsychologist Catherine Loveday of the University of Westminster. “It stimulates the brain in a very powerful way because of our emotional connection with it.” Music learning changes brain structure and function for good. Unlike any other brain stimulating puzzle or game, playing a musical instrument improves coordination and integration of the visual and tactical senses and motor movements. “Music reaches parts of the brain that other things can’t. It is a strong cognitive stimulus that grows the brain in a way that nothing else does, and enhances things like working memory and language skills,” adds Loveday. Instils Discipline Dedicated learning and practice of music instils discipline and simultaneously develops children’s motor skills and hand-eye coordination. I strong recommend you enroll your child in a music class in…
Rainbow-coloured butterflies flying brilliant blue skies, flitting on the wall. Flower-shaped pillows resting on pastel bedsheets. Imaginative children’s room decor is available in upscale malls and boutiques. But at upscale prices. Instead with some imagination, together with your kids, you can create your own decor to match any mall display. And it will give you all the fun of doing it yourself. Make a blueprint Do some window shopping to get some ideas and pick a theme. Decide how you will arrange the room, and what all you’ll need. Get the room organised You can’t start decorating a messy room. Therefore get stuff in order, and figure out what type of furniture you need. Book shelves, cupboards, toy and clothes bins and shoe racks keeps clutter off the floor. Craft your pieces Use thick cardboard and acrylic paints to colour and cut out shapes that can be suspended from ceilings. Make glass paintings and suspend them near the window or door, to allow sunlight to pass through them. Create eye-catching art works, using a mix of bright colours and imprinting hand or fingerprints. Or even splashing the shapes until you get a satisfactory image. Alternatively you could choose attractive theme-related images, print them out on photo paper, and display them on a wall. Add a bulletin board to display your child’s art and crafts, and creative writing. Decorate a wall A plain wall can be made to look stunning with a row of handprints in different colours (draw erasable straight lines using a measuring tape or scale to make sure they are aligned). Or, impact colourful handprints on a white door. Another option is potato stampers using acrylic paint to stamp a shape on one wall in colours related to the theme. Make the right purchases You might need to purchase furniture or racks to store things. Check out two-three furniture stores or online sites for the best buys. If you are purchasing curtains, buy a few additional metres to be used on tables, and in other places. Supervise every activity so you achieve a professional effect. Together you can create a unique and unreplicable environment reflecting your children’s personalities. Cynthia John
Homemade Christmas decorations have a unique beauty and charm. Get the family together and make these enchanting decorations to celebrate the season of love, joy and peace. A reindeer in my flower pot Materials Terracotta pot Paint Pom pom Foam board Bells White and black scrapbook paper Giltter Method Paint the terracotta pot brown. Glue on a red pom pom, add glue to it and sprinkle some glitter. Take white and black paper, cut out ovals for eyes and stick on the pot. Cut foam board into the shape of antlers, paint and sprinkle with glitter for sparkle. Add bells to them. Fill the pot with candy and other goodies. Glitter globe Materials needed Mason jar Small Christmas ornaments Clear glue Warm water Glitter (red/green/silver/gold) Method Use a glue gun to carefully glue the bottom of your tree ornament to the mason jar lid. Add clear glue to your jar. Add warm water and stir. Add glitter and stir. Now close the lid over it. Shake and enjoy your glitter globe. Christmas terrarium Materials Mini terrarium holder or large wine glass Christmas ornaments (preferably a mini Christmas tree and a cut out reindeer) White pebbles or tiny stones painted white Corn starch Baking soda Method Fake snow In a tray, mix the cornstarch and baking soda in a 1:1 ratio. Now, add just enough water so that when you squeeze some of the mixture in your hands, you can form a ball. Gently release any clumps until your fake snow looks like real snow. Make sure to add the water very slowly or the mixture may get too runny, in which case just add more of the cornstarch and baking soda. The terrarium Get started by putting a handful of artificial snow into the glass jar. Fill around one-third. Place the Christmas ornaments into the jar. The artificial snow should keep the ornament standing up. Put the lid back on the glass jar and display your beautiful DIY snow terrarium! Recommended: Christmas treats Also read: Christmas reads
Cycling is a great workout for the heart and lungs, builds stamina, and prevents obesity and arthritis. Moreover it alleviates stress and promotes family bonding – K.P. Malini “Cycling is excellent physical exercise, great way to relive childhood days, explore local neighbourhoods, meet like-minded people and promote family bonding,” says Abhishek Tarfe, cycling enthusiast and founder of Velocrush India (estb.2012), a Mumbai-based company which offers bicycle learning classes, organises biking expeditions and rents a variety of bicycles and related accessories. Advertised and flaunted in the new millennium as an aerobic activity, bicycles were introduced in the 19th century as a mode of transport. Though now they are used mostly for exercise and recreation, many people around the world, particularly in the West, continue to use bicycles for short distance commuting for a variety of reasons including physical fitness, carbon footprint reduction, parking convenience, frugality, and enjoyment. The physical benefits of cycling are numerous. It’s a great workout for the heart, blood vessels and lungs, builds stamina, and prevents obesity and arthritis. Latest research highlights that cycling aids in the release of endorphins — happy hormones — which has a positive effect on cyclists’ mental well-being and alleviates depression and stress. Tarfe believes cycling is a great stress buster and one of the best available options for urban families to change their sedentary lifestyles. “In the past few years there’s been a big rise in the number of adults and children signing up for cycling classes. Many parents want to enrol their children with us because it’s also a good way to keep them away from digital devices. Learning to cycle and continuing with it is one of the best investments you can make in your health and wellbeing,” he says. Currently, Velocrush offers its services in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore. Chennai-based exporter Gautham Rajashekharan believes a family which cycles together stays together. “We started cycling as a family activity when my children were young. We would load our cycles, food, and mats into the car and drive to the city outskirts, where we would spend all morning cycling followed by lunch. Continuous conversation on these cycling trips have helped us bond as a family. We have kept this family cycling tradition alive and my daughters Shruthi (15) and Sharika (13) still look forward to these weekend biking expeditions,” says Rajashekharan. Getting the right cycling gear To derive the full benefit of this physical activity, it’s important to invest in the right cycling gear. There are three basic bicycle models — mountain, hybrid and road. Tarfe advises newbies to choose a bike from whose saddle the feet can easily reach the ground when brakes are applied. This helps reduce injury risk, especially while riding in mountainous terrain. “When riding on inclined routes a geared cycle is preferable because it reduces stress on the thighs and prevents muscle tear. Begin with half hour sessions and then gradually increase your riding time. Most important stay hydrated, throughout all rides,” advises Tarfe. Moreover to ensure…
Whether you live in an apartment, home with just a small verandah or a large bungalow, families can have fun growing green things/gardening together – Cherubina Gardening is a wonderful hobby to bond families. It’s fun to watch the wonder on your children’s faces as plants sprout flowers and vegetables. Whether you live in an apartment, home with just a small verandah or a large bungalow, you can have fun growing green things together. It doesn’t take much to get started, even if you are new to gardening! Materials • Some pots or old shoeboxes lined with plastic • A few pebbles • Soil • Seeds • Water If you are using an old shoebox, remember to seal the inside of your box with plastic lining of plastic shopping bags. Cut little holes in the plastic for water to drain out. Ask children to decorate pots/shoeboxes with drawings using acrylic colours. Place a small layer of pebbles at the bottom of shoebox or pot. Fill it with soil to an inch from the top. Next dig small holes, about an inch deep and plant seeds, one in each hole. Cover the holes and water the seeds until the soil becomes moist. Place your pots/shoeboxes in an area with sunlight and water them every day. Soon the seeds will start sprouting. Some suggestions for your home garden: Carrots. This root vegetable makes a pretty house plant. Cut a large carrot about an inch from the tip. Remove its leaves and plant it in soil with its crown sticking out. Soon, it will sprout beautiful leaves. Keep your carrots in a spot that gets some sun and some shade. Snake gourd, bitter gourd, ribbed gourd and ladies fingers. Buy seeds. They will sprout quickly and grow fast. They’re easy to handle and the kids will love to eat what they grow! An easy way to get them to love fresh vegetables. Aloe Vera. This is a plant that’s hard to kill with its thick, hard leaves. The sap in the leaves can soothe burns. Money plant and other creepers. Creepers are plants that can’t stand by themselves. They lean on walls and climb around supports. The money plant is an interesting creeper that’s easy to grow. All you need is a cutting of its stem. Place it in some water or soil. Soon, it will grow and you’ll have to guide it by placing sticks or other support to climb. Weekends are best for gathering pots, seeds and manure. The Internet has a plethora of information on how best to tend your plants. Browsing the net for information and developing your kitchen garden offers excellent opportunities for learning biology and for families to bond. Every new plant that sprouts and flourishes is an occasion for celebration! Also read: How to keep children occupied during Covid-19
Dance can be a life-changing experience. Benefits of dance include helping children develop self-confidence, social skills, and simultaneously improve their cognitive and academic capabilities as well as health and fitness – Jigish Sonagara What is it about music that compels us to move and grove with it? To tap our fingers and feet, bob our heads to the tune, and experience the rush of adrenaline as we twist and shake? From infants to the elderly, the love of dance is universal, transcending nations and cultures, with people the world over developing their own unique styles and movements. For children in particular, dance can be a life-changing experience helping them develop self-confidence, social skills, and simultaneously improve their cognitive and academic capabilities as well as health and fitness. In a brilliant TEDed blog titled ‘Why Dance is as Important as Math in Education’, Sir Ken Robinson, the renowned global education reformer and Lou Aronica, the US-based author, argue that “dance can help restore joy and stability in troubled lives and ease the tensions in schools disrupted by violence and bullying… dance promotes many of the personal qualities that employers recognise as essential in a collaborative, adaptable workforce”. Here are five benefits that children participating in dance lessons/classes can derive: 1. Counters screen addiction of children Most millennial parents are confronted with the 21st challenge of weaning children away from mobile/computer and television screens. Increasing tech addiction of children has resulted in a large number of them suffering health and socio-emotional problems. Participating in a dance class with peers provides children an enjoyable alternative to screen time. 2. Improves fitness and physical health Dance is a great way to engage children in an enjoyable stress-free physical activity. It builds stamina and strength and develops poise and grace of learners. There is no shortage of research studies highlighting that moderate to vigorous physical activity prevents obesity, improves cardiovascular fitness, blood pressure and bone density, as well as alleviates depression and anxiety in children. 3. Teaches discipline and perseverance Dance is a highly demanding and exhausting activity. Professional dancers spend years honing their skills, training for several hours every day. Children who integrate dance practice into their daily routine learn the vital importance of discipline and perseverance. 4. Creativity and self-expression Finding an outlet for creative self-expression is integral to the balanced emotional and psychological development of children. Dance provides an ideal platform for creative self-expression, allowing children to channel their emotions into a constructive and healthy activity. 5. Builds social skills Dancing is a social activity, whether it involves one partner or a larger group of participants. Working in tandem with a partner or synchronising with other participants teaches children the important life skills of teamwork, collaboration, cooperation and coordination. (Jigish Sonagara is the Mumbai-based founder-CEO of imd1 —Yes, I Am The 1)
Maintaining an art journal offers parents and children an enjoyable and gratifying way to record life memories and milestones – Mini P. As the new academic year begins in June, maintaining an art journal offers parents and children an enjoyable and gratifying way to record memories and milestones of the new school year. An art journal combines visuals and writing and motivates children to express their thoughts and emotions. You don’t have to be a great artist to maintain an art journal; you can doodle, draw, paint or even scribble. There are no restrictions on what you write or draw. The rules are all your own. Essentially an art journal is a glorified diary. Art journaling enthusiasts insist that it’s a therapeutic and creative activity which allows free expression of ideas and emotions. “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life,” said the celebrated Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) highlighting the mind-refreshing effect of art. Increasingly, psychologists and counselors are encouraging children and young people to maintain visual journals to reduce stress and anxiety. Therapeutic benefits apart, art journaling stimulates the brain. “Painting embraces all the ten functions of the eye; that is to say, darkness, light, body and colour, shape and location, distance and closeness, motion and rest,” said Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). GETTING STARTED Buy a scrapbook/journal/plain paper and art supplies such as colour pencils, paints, markers etc Begin by creating a background — you can make a mess on the page with paint; trace your hand and then create designs within; start doodling along the edges You could also create collages in your journal. Collect pictures, newspaper cuttings and/or printed words, and use them creatively in collages. Write a quote that inspires you and then create an art design around it. Write a line about something you are thankful for and then create visuals around it. What did you see today? Paint it. Remember, your art does not have to be perfect, it just has to be your best effort. Write your thoughts in the form of a poem, diary note, or even a random collection of words. Highlight new ideas, dreams or yearly goals. Make a list of childhood friends and draw/paint associated emotions.
Participating in creative DIY (do it yourself) activities with children is a great way of bonding the family. Every child will remember special moments spent with parents making something wonderful. While starting a DIY project with your child, shun the mobile phone and other distractions. This will demonstrate that focusing on completing an activity/task often necessitates switching off gizmos and forsaking all distractions. If your child is too young to safely handle scissors, you will need to do the cutting and chopping. But please encourage her to air her ideas. To create a cityscape, first, experiment with stock/chart paper to see if it is stiff enough to stand steadily. If not, try a different variety. Card sheets in different textures are available in the market — they will add beauty to your cityscape. Materials Cardboard box Stiff white card/chart paper Scissors (large and small) Craft glue Blue paper Method Draw a rough sketch of a landscape with houses, trees and clouds on the chart paper. Cut off the upper part of the cardboard box, so that the back is left intact, and the front is cut to a low level, making the first layer. Cut out wavy patterns for the landscape, as seen in the picture, and paste them three centimetres apart, behind each other, creating different layers, adding dimension. Fold strips of paper sideways and cut out house shapes and building shapes. Use small scissors to cut out doors and windows. By cutting folded paper, you can ensure that all the buildings are symmetrical. Cut out clouds, mountains, trees, bushes and other shapes. Paste blue paper at the back of the scene. Arrange the cut-outs, and paste different ones on different layers, to form a lovely white scene. To create a dramatic effect, buy a string of serial lights in white or different colours. Place the string in between the layers. Switch on the lights and watch the magical effect! Once you have made one cut-out scene, you can try out different ones. You could make a forest, a garden, an underwater scene, a candy land, or whatever your creativity prompts. Shweta Krishnan
Here are two simple experiments to help children understand the chemical reaction triggered when liquid soap and food coloring are added to milk, and the science behind air pressure – K.P. Malini Swirling colours Materials • White plate • Food colouring (as desired) • Water • Plastic bowls (as many as the number of colours) • Milk • Dish-washing liquid • Ear buds Procedure • Fill a bowl with water. Add some food colouring to it and mix to make a solution. • Repeat the procedure to make solutions of all the food colours. • Pour sufficient amount of milk onto a white plate. • Put a drop of food colour solution in the centre of the milk. Now put a drop of each of the color solutions. • Take an ear bud and dip it in the centre of the colours. Observe what happens to the colours. • Now, dip an ear bud in the dish washing liquid. • Dip the soapy end of the bud in the centre of the colours. • As soon as the ear bud touches the surface of the milk, you will observe a rush of changing colours which start swirling around in the plate and move towards the edge of the plate. The science behind it This experiment helps children understand the components of milk. Milk mainly consists of water, fat, proteins, lactose and minerals. Proteins and fat are very sensitive and react strongly when anything is added to the milk. When the dish washing liquid dipped ear bud is added to the milk, it triggers a chemical reaction. The soap combines with the fat and pushes out the water in the milk. When the water moves out, it carries the food colouring with it. This is the cause of different colour patterns swirling on the surface of the milk. Drinking Candles Materials • Green food colouring • White candles with flat bottom (as many as needed) • Gas lighter • Water • White plate • Mixing spoons • Tall transparent glass • Measuring cylinder Procedure • Measure 100 ml of water in the measuring cylinder. Pour it onto a white plate. • Add few drops of green food colouring to it. • Place the candle in the centre of the plate. • Light the candle using a gas lighter (adult supervision is required) • Take a tall transparent glass which is bigger than the candle and gently cover the candle with it. Care should be taken that there should be at least one inch space between the candle wick and glass bottom when it is placed over the burning candle. • You will notice that the flame goes off and the candle slowly starts drinking up the water. • Now try this out with two or more candles. • You will observe that more water gets inside the glass and the level rises. The science behind it This experiment helps children understand the scientific concept of air pressure. Air is all around…
Trampolining is an enjoyable family exercise activity – K.P. Malini Trampolining — defined by Merriam Webster dictionary as “the sport of jumping and tumbling on a trampoline” — is an enjoyable family exercise activity. Aka rebounding, it’s a trampoline work-out which offers a host of health benefits. For adults, it’s a safe and low-impact cardiovascular workout that helps strengthen muscle mass. For children, bouncing on a trampoline offers good exercise and plenty of fun, and helps keep them away from digital screens. The US-based NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) deems it “the most efficient exercise yet devised by man”. This NASA endorsement — quite proudly quoted by every trampoline owner in the country — highlights that rebounding is 60 percent more effective than jogging. A NASA study found that an individual spending one hour on a rebounder (a mini trampoline) is likely to burn more calories than a person jogging for an hour. Another 2016 study conducted by the American Council of Exercise reveals that bouncing on a trampoline for 20 minutes is just as good as running a mile. Rebounding, says the study, also helps improve body balance and equilibrium. “Children especially in the age group four-ten years love trampolining. It is a full-body activity that’s relaxing and most important, enjoyable. It helps improve children’s balance and focus, coordination and agility, and develops motor skills. That’s why a rising number of kindergartens and schools have installed trampolines. Moreover it’s a great stress-busting activity for adults. That’s why trampoline parks are becoming popular in metros and even small towns,” says Balaji Rajendraprasad, founder-managing director of Fun Galaxy Indoor Play Area, Electronic City, Bangalore. According to Rajendraprasad, trampoline parties are the rage for themed birthday celebrations. “Fun Galaxy hosts ten trampoline parties per month. We also offer trampoline fitness classes which are becoming popular with families.” Though trampoline gymnastics has been an Olympic sport since 1999, where gymnasts perform a variety of somersaults, handsprings and other acrobatics with great skill, trampolining as a fitness activity has become popular recently. Thanzim Azeez, a cardio fitness sports player of Decathlon, Calicut, advises adults and children to start with slow bouncing, and intensifying the workout gradually. “For children rebounding is an excellent systematic low impact antigravity workout. Adults should start with slow bouncing to high by keeping their feet 15 cm apart. Stop if you have breathing difficulty or pain in the knees and ankles. Trampoles reduce impact by 40 percent, which means that your body won’t get as beat up as when you do impact exercises on the ground,” says Thanzim. Calicut-based mom Cibi Thomas believes that trampolining has successfully helped divert her six-year-old daughter Keerthana’s attention from digital screens. “She loves the trampoline so much that we’ve bought one for the home. Ever since, she has started spending less time on the mobile phone and computer. Her appetite and attention has also improved,” says Thomas. Trampolining: Get set, go! Jumping jacks and high knees are great ways to warm up Try…
Introducing children to the logic and magic of science through hands-on experiments is an effective way of helping them understand scientific concepts. Here’s a simple experiment/activity you can do at home to help children understand the chemistry behind reactions to different types of acids. Lemon suds eruption Materials Two small containers (for eruptions) Food colours (to make eruptions look interesting) Large plastic tub (to place the erupting containers) 2 tbsp baking soda 2 tbsp citric acid (lemon juice can be added instead but eruptions won’t be very dramatic) ¼ cup clear liquid hand soap ¾ cup warm waterProcedure Place the containers in the tub, away from each other. Pour in clear liquid hand soap till quarter of each container is filled. Fill the containers with warm water and mix with a teaspoon. You will get a sudsy liquid. If you want the eruptions to look interesting, add a few drops of food colour and mix well. Add baking soda into each container and mix well. Next, scoop in citric acid and mix. The mix will immediately create light and fluffy colourful sudsy eruptions. These eruptions will last for a long time. Try mixing several food colours and watch the results. If you leave out the food colours, then you will get a homemade cleaning agent. If you add lemon juice instead of citric acid, then it will become a ‘natural’ homemade cleaning acid! This experiment teaches children about acid-base reaction. Baking soda is a base which, when mixed with citric acid or acidic lemon, releases carbon dioxide. When this bubbly gas mixes with hand soap, you get foam eruptions. The foam produced is cold. Therefore the acid-base reaction is an endothermic reaction wherein heat is absorbed and cold released. Carbon dioxide is produced, causing the bubbly reaction, just as it does when a bottle of soda is shaken and opened. K.P. Malini
With smartphones and digital cameras as well as myriad movie-making apps offering guidelines and advice, introducing children to the art of movie-making has become an attractive option for parents – Jayalakshmi Vaidyanathan Lights, camera, action! Technology and in particular the ubiquitous smartphone has made the art of amateur movies production uncomplicated and easy. With smartphones and digital cameras as well as myriad movie-making apps offering guidelines and advice, introducing children to the art of movie-making has become an attractive option for parents. Apart from boosting children’s creativity, communication and story-telling skills, this activity offers a wonderful opportunity to bond with children and familiarise them with the latest digital technologies. Among the many film genres — fiction, documentary, etc — animation provides a creative option for engaging children. Making an animation movie might seem complicated and difficult, but with imagination and help from enabling apps, it can become an enjoyable family activity. STOP MOTION ANIMATION It’s a good idea to begin with creating simple stop motion animation, using materials available at home and a smartphone installed with an app/software. Stop motion is an animated-film making technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they appear to exhibit independent motion when the series of frames is played as a fast sequence. It can also be made using humans, household appliances, and other objects. So you can film a simple tale such as the thirsty crow using photo cut-outs or a clay model moving around the house. Download the following apps and software (any one) to make stop animation movies. Suggested Apps • iStopMotion for iPad/iPhone (HD): • Stop Motion Studio (HD): http://www.cateater.com/ • Lapse It for Android (HD): http://www.lapseit.com/ • Stop Motion for Android (HD): http://www.sheado.net/stopmotion/ • STEP Stop Motion & Time Lapse: http://www.trollback.com/step/ Software • iStopMotion for Mac: http://boinx.com/istopmotion/mac/ • Dragonframe for Mac or Windows: http://www.dragonframe.com/ • Stop Motion Pro for Windows: http://www.stopmotionpro.com/ • Smoovie for Mac: http://www.smoovie.com/ • User friendly and free mobile phone apps like stop motion studio, https://www.cateater.com/ and MonkeyJam for PCs http://monkeyjam.org/download are recommended for schools and home use. The process of making an animation movie can be divided into three stages. Pre-production planning. List the materials needed, ideate the story line/ story board, zero in on the device to be used eg. camera, mobile phone, tablet, etc, research the Stop Motion App or video editing software, and arrange for a microphone for voice recording. For instance if you are filming the story of the thirsty crow, you will need chart paper, photo cut-outs of crows flying in the sky, clouds, pebbles and pictures of pot containing varying amounts of water. Production stage. Create your story board with drawings, clay puppets or paper/photo cut outs if you are not artistically inclined. You could also use Lego models. To shoot the video you need a digital camera, iPad, tablet or smart phone. For example you can use your mobile phone (installed with the app Stop Motion Studio) to film the cut-outs/objects…
Angling and fishing is a popular outdoor activity, especially for families with older children. India offers many exciting options for all types of fishing and angling holidays with its plethora of lakes, rivers and ponds -K.P. Malini Activities en famille provide opportunities to families to bond and build strong relationships. In particular nature-centred outdoor activities destress and rejuvenate adults and children alike. Angling aka fishing is a popular outdoor family activity, especially for families with older children. India with its plethora of lakes, rivers and ponds, offers many exciting options for all types of angling holidays. The country’s diverse range of water bodies from the Northern Himalayan snow-fed valley streams to the glorious backwaters of Kerala in the South provide great opportunities for exploring this outdoor sport. The best angling locales in India are in Ramganga (Corbett Park), Kosi and Pancheshwar rivers in Uttarakhand; Mandil, Dhamvari and Chirgaon rivers in Himachal Pradesh; Bhalukpong and Tipi in Arunachal Pradesh; and Jia Boroli river in Assam. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Karnataka, Kerala, and Lakshwadeep also offer excellent options. “Fishing is fast becoming a popular outdoor activity with a rising number of urban families heading out to lakes and rivers during weekends,” says Arun Joseph Kumar, proprietor of Fishing Tackles, Bangalore. “About five years back, we were the sole retailers selling fishing gear and tackles in the garden city, but now there are at least a dozen and several hundred online. To meet the demand we have also started organising fishing expeditions. An overnight fishing trip for a family of three is priced at Rs.8,000 including accommodation, fishing license, tent, food, water, and fishing lessons while day tours cost Rs.3,000,” says Kumar who is all set to inaugurate a unique fishing camp project on Lake Kalkera on the outskirts of Bangalore. “It’s a Survival Fishing Camp to be conducted on weekends where children will be taught fishing basics and skill-sets to survive in the wild,” he adds. Techniques, equipment, etc The leisure sport popularly known as fishing mandates the learning of different techniques such as hand gathering, spearfishing, netting, angling and trapping. The practice of catching or attempting to catch fish with a hook is angling. In angling, it is expected that fish are returned to the water (catch and release). Recreational fishermen usually log their catches or participate in fishing competitions. The most common form of recreational fishing requires expertise with the rod, reel, line, hooks and wide range of baits or lures such as artificial flies. Fishing tackle is a term that encompasses all equipment or gear used when fishing. The tackle attached to the end of a fishing line is the terminal tackle. This includes hooks, sinkers, floats, leaders, swivels, split rings and wire, snaps, beads, spoons, blades, spinners and devices to attach spinner blades to fishing lures. People also tend to use dead or live fish as forms of bait. The four basic types of fishing rods and reels are the spinning, spin-casting, bait-casting and fly-casting rods. Spinning…
Do your children drive you up the wall? Time to turn the tables by taking them indoor climbing, says K.P. Malini On a balmy Monday evening in Kochi, sports enthusiasts as young as four and as old as 65 scale the four walls of an indoor climbing gym, The Rock. Requiring strength, agility, and mental and physical stamina, indoor climbing is fast emerging as a popular fitness sport and activity across the country. Daniel, proprietor and coach at The Rock, says this indoor sport is becoming popular because it offers the “thrill and adventure of rock climbing in a safe controlled setting”. “If you can climb stairs, you’ll be able to climb a wall. It just takes a little more effort,” he says. Indoor scaling is performed in an artificial environment with structures that mimic the experience of outdoor rock climbing. Many rock gyms provide climbing walls with varying levels of difficulty. A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with designed grips for hands and feet. The minimum height of a climbing wall is 20 ft with no upper limit. The Rock proudly offers a 50 ft climbing wall. “Most climbing clubs provide the required safety gear. Climbers have to bring only their shoes — preferably canvas. Beginners need to eat a meal two hours before a climbing session to prevent cramping. Nevertheless it’s important to warm up and ensure your safety gear is in order,” says Aakriti Daniel, coach of the Kerala rock climbing team and co-promoter of The Rock. From building stamina and fitness to meditation, people are taking to this sport for numerous reasons, says Madhu C.R, a rock climbing enthusiast and member of the group Let’s Play Climbing, Bangalore. “Indoor climbing is a safe introduction to outdoor rock climbing replicating similar environmental conditions, equipment, etc. Safety climbing ropes and harness ensure that the experience is risk-free. Therefore parents feel secure about their children experimenting with this sport. For working adults too this is a stress-busting adrenaline-rush sport which builds strength and stamina,” says Madhu. With this sport becoming increasingly popular, indoor climbing gyms are springing up across the country, and competitive city, state and national tournaments are being organised. In competitive tournaments, there are three artificial rock climbing categories — bouldering, speed climbing and lead climbing. Bouldering requires climbing artificial rock walls, known as boulders, without use of ropes and harnesses. While seasoned competitors shun all equipment, most climbers use climbing shoes to secure footholds, chalk to provide a firm grip, and bouldering mats to prevent fall injuries. In lead climbing tournaments, climbing techniques and ingenuity to ascend a route are evaluated. In speed climbing competitions, speed of ascent is timed and is the ultimate goal. According to Aakriti, the health benefits of rock climbing are manifold. “It boosts energy and provides a full body workout. It also teaches life skills such as determination, a never-say-die attitude, resilience, problem-solving, and goal-setting” she says. Popular indoor rock climbing centres Delhi •…
Learning the ancient martial art of kalaripayattu, which integrates yoga, dance and combat techniques, can set your family on the path of life-long fitness and well-being – K.P. Malini One of the oldest martial art forms in the world dating back to the 6th century, kalaripayattu is emerging in a new avatar as a popular fitness and wellness activity. Over the past decade in particular, kalaripayattu which integrates dance, yoga, combat techniques and healing systems, has become popular with training academies springing up across the country. “Kalaripayattu is the mother of all martial art forms. It’s gaining in popularity because it uniquely combines defence techniques, dance, yoga and healing systems. It boosts both physical and mental fitness and body flexibility and functioning. Moreover there is no age to learn this art form. I have students as young as seven in my academy,” says Gurukkal Anil Kumar, Kalaripayattu master trainer at C.V.N. Kalari, Kozhikode, who choreographed the fight sequences for Hindi blockbuster movie Bajirao Mastani. Origins The word kalaripayattu combines two words — kalari (training ground) and payattu (fight). This martial art originated in 6th century Kerala as a code of combat and gained popularity during the hundred years of war between the Cholas, Pandyas and Cheras (300 BC-1279 AD). Though many ancient martial art forms of India have lost their popularity due to neglect and lack of proper documentation, kalaripayattu has stood the test of time. According to the website of Parashurama Vallabhatta Kalari, a training academy based in Bangalore, during the British conquest of India, laws were passed to stop people from practising kalaripayattu as it involved training with weapons. The British objected to the tradition of training with weapons and armaments even though they were of symbolic value. Laws were passed and enforced with zest to prevent the people from practising and training kalaripayattu. “But the British underestimated the love of martial arts in India and kalaripayattu was secretly practiced and kept alive during the colonial occupation of India,” says www.kalaripayattubangalore.com. This ancient indigenous martial art form draws inspiration from the raw power, majestic strength and instinctive fighting techniques of animals such as lion, tiger, elephant, snake, peacock, wild boar, etc. Ancient masters codified eight types of vadivus or postures mimicking the attack positions of various animals. The eight vadivus are: varaha (wild boar), gaja (elephant), marjara (cat), simham (lion), sarpam (snake), kukkuda (cock), mayura (peacock) and haya (horse). Healing system An important component of kalaripayattu is its indigenous medicinal practices or chikitshas. Kalaripayattu has a unique system of medicine based on ayurveda and kalarichikitsa (kalari treatment). It includes marmachikitsa (healing through 107 energy ‘entry points’), thirumal (body massage using feet/ropes) and vyayamachikitsa (physical exercise). “Kalari chikitsha uses medicinal oils, herbal compresses, massage techniques and marma vital energy point therapy to revive and balance the mind and body. Many sports players go to kalari centres to treat injuries like ligament tear, dislocations, etc. Kalari chikitsha is also very useful for back, neck pain, and many bone-related…
Most commercially produced home care and cleaning products contain carcinogens, which cause allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory problems. Vallari Shah, a Bengaluru-based proponent of environment-friendly lifestyles, shares formulae to prepare two safe home cleaning products. Soap Nut Cleaner Soap nut (reetha) is a popularly used base ingredient for organic cleaning liquids in India. It is derived from the soap nut tree (sapindus mukorossi) and contains saponin, which is a natural surfactant. Ingredients 10 soap nuts 1 litre water Preparation guide Lightly crush the dried soap nuts using a mortar and pestle, separating seed from fruit. Crush the fruit some more and boil in 100 ml water for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Let the soap mixture cool down and strain. Add the remaining water and store in a bottle. The soap nut solution needs to be refrigerated, if used beyond a week. Add citrus bio enzyme to store without refrigeration. Usage Washing machine. Take a small cotton bag and fill it with 8-10 dried soap nuts. Tie the bag tightly and toss it in the washing machine together with your clothes. As the clothes tumble around, the soap nuts get crushed and activated. The soap-nut bag will wash 8-10 loads of laundry. Kitchen pots/pans. Mix four parts of soap nut solution with two parts citrus bio-enzyme to clean kitchen pots and pans. Kitchen counters. Mix soap nut solution and citrus bio-enzyme equally. Add a drop of essential oil. This solution can be used to effectively clean kitchen slabs. Hair and skin. Soap nut solution mixed with shikakai/amla works as an excellent shampoo while plain soap nut solution can be used as body soap. Bio-enzyme Cleaner Dr. Rosukon Poompanvong, founder of the Organic Agricultural Association of Thailand, discovered bio-enzyme cleaners, which are produced by fermentation of fruits, vegetables, sugar and water. Ingredients 100 gms jaggery (or one part) 300 gms chopped fruit peels (three parts) 1 litre water (ten parts) Preparation guide In a plastic two-litre bottle add 100 gms of powdered jaggery, 300 gms of chopped fruit peels (any fruit peels can be used but citrus peels are more effective) and 1 litre of water. Store in a cool, dry place. Every 3-4 days shake the bottle, open the lid to allow gases to escape and close it. In two months, the bio-enzyme will be ready. Strain and fill in a bottle for use. Please note a wide-neck plastic bottle should be used to give room for the gases produced. Don’t use a glass bottle as it may break with the pressure build-up of gases. Advisory. Add a pinch of yeast to the mix and the bio enzyme will be ready in two weeks. You will see white fungus/mould growing on the top layer — this is oxidation at work. In the beginning, the fruit peels will float on top and then gradually sink to the bottom. The colour of the solution changes to orange as the peels decompose. Shelf life is three months. Refrigeration is not required. Usage Table cleaner. Add a drop of essential oil…
Teach your children to break away from the use-and-throw culture by recycling used materials/waste generated at home. Educate them about the three R’s of waste management practice: reduce, reuse and recycle. Here’s a simple and creative way to start creating useful paper bags from old newspapers. Though made of paper, the bags are sturdy. It will also discourage your children from using plastic bags which despoil the environment. Encourage them to let their imagination take wing, and advise them to pack their birthday and other gifts for friends in them. Materials Newspaper Craft glue Scissors Cardboard Jute rope Flat paintbrush Water Bowl Methodology Making strips Take one sheet of newspaper. Fold in half. Apply craft glue and stick the edges with Fevicol. Fold again and apply craft glue and fold, once again. Cut 15 newspaper strips. Weaving the bag Place eight of the newspaper strips on a table longitudinally. Take one more and place it horizontally, weaving it in and out of the other pieces as shown in picture (2). Place a weight at the top. Move the horizontal strip upwards. Weave six more in an alternating fashion. Keep moving them upwards, close to each other. Adjust all the strips so that they are in a perfect line. Fold the protruding end of the first horizontal strip (on your right) inwards and paste it, leaving the end open. Continue doing this for alternate strips. Now fold the protruding ends of the alternate strips (on your left) inwards and paste them as shown. Flip the whole thing over carefully. Now fold all the protruding ends inwards and paste. The ends now can be cut off in line with the first strip and pasted firmly. Turn the woven mat so that the open edges are to your right and left. Fold it upwards in half. Now fold the strips sticking out alternately. Tuck the edges into the next strip and stick (8). When all are done, cut a piece of cardboard three inches wide to fit the bag, and push it in, to create a base. Fixing the handle Push a thick length of jute rope into the gap and knot it inside the bag several times. Cut it to the right length and do the same on the other side. Make a handle for the next side as well. Final touches Mix craft glue and water to get a paint consistency. Use a brush to paint the inside and outside. This will protect the bag from yellowing, and wear and tear. The bag can hold objects such as books and fruits.
