Dear parents

I’m sure you all have been travelling quite often, especially on the weekends when you are with your family and children.  It’s obvious that children do not want to stay at home. I appreciate that they require and yearn your time and company to grow in a wholesome way. 

So, what do you do? Where do you go? Are your weekend destinations close to your residence, or do you travel several miles or hours to reach? 

Imagine you are going to Innovative City (the one on Mysore road). Aww! What a wonderful place, lovely activities for engaging children as well as adults for hours together and many things to learn other than the bookish learning. Isn’t it an ideal place to enjoy? 

Hopefully you leave your home early as the children are excited when they are travelling out. You even reach your destination much ahead than the expected time. You all are so fresh and energetic. You also spend the whole day at the venue and participate in every ride and every area of activity. You are also quite enthusiastic to get back home and share your experiences of Innovative City to your other family members or friend circle. 

BUT!!!!

On your way back you are stuck in a huge traffic jam. Meanwhile you are just clearing all the remaining titbits of the snack you were carrying, but yet have a load of them still remaining. Your child is getting cranky; restless, feeling uncomfortable sitting in one place, may even start to cry. What do you do in such a situation? Do you crib on the traffic jam? Do you blame others who caused it? Do you offer snacks to your child so that he is busy munching on them? Do you shout at your child asking him/her to keep quiet?  Do you give your mobile to the child so that he/she is busy playing games on it? Or you just ignore the situation? Probably go off to sleep and make your child sleep too? Well!!! There may be many more possibilities, I do not disagree. 

BUT!!!

Have you ever thought of engaging your child in a calm and more fruitful way???

No more panicking as I am glad to tell you that there are so many things you can do when you are on the move. You might probably remember your childhood days, wherein your mom or dad would have played simple, non-materialistic games to engage while you were on travel or would have probably played during a power cut. 

Why not use the same technique to rejuvenate yourself, refreshing your memories and engaging the child as well as building a bond between you and your child. 

Live life to your fullest and enjoy with your little one the expressions and happy moments that you can capture in your mobiles (which you might have missed in your childhood days). 

 

 

Here’s what I would like to share with you for the different age groups. Children go through different stages of development. Hence, activities related to their age will engage them and fantasize as well as help them in their learning and development process.

 

 

 

 

 

When on travel, you can sing songs in phrases, adding a new phrase after every turn. Your child can repeat after you and will learn over a period of time. (Age: 3-5) (This song was generally sung around a campfire to while away the time in the dark- when there were no lights in the village during early days. This is what my father used to sing when he was a child and has taught me. The song is in Marathi language). The song revolves around a farmer from Malad (Mumbai) who comes for warming himself beside the campfire. After him to the campfire follows his wife, son, daughter, daughter’s horse, horse’s tail, tail’s hair, fly on hair, fly’s legs, fly’s wings, germs on fly’s wings and the progressing in every line.

 

Maladcha shetkari shekotila aala 

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shokotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaricha mulga shekotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaricha mulga, shetkarichi mulgi shekotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaricha mulga, shetkarichi mulgi ani mulicha ghoda shekotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaracha mulga, shetkarichi mulgi, mulicha ghoda ani ghodechi sheput shekotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaricha mulga, shetkarichi mulgi, mulicha ghoda, ghodechi sheput ani sheptiche kesh shekotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaricha mulga, shetkarichi mulgi, mulicha ghoda, ghodechi sheput, sheptiche kesh, keshavarchi maashi shekotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaricha mulga, shetkarachi mulgi, mulicha ghoda, ghodechi sheput, sheptiche kesh, keshavarchi maashi ani mashiche pank shekotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaricha mulga, shetkarichi mulgi, mulicha ghoda, ghodechi sheput, sheptiche kesh, keshavarchi maashi, mashiche pank ani panka khalcha pai shekotila aale

Maladcha shetkari, shetkarichi baiko, shetkaricha mulga, shetkarichi mulgi, mulicha ghoda, ghodechi sheput, sheptiche kesh, keshavarchi maashi, mashiche pank, panka khalcha pai, ani pankhavarche jantu shekotila aale.

Learning outcomes: vocabulary enhances, aesthetic development, liking for music and rhythm

 

Games for 2-3 years

1. Count fingers and toes- tickle the child’s palm and foot and count the child’s fingers and toes. In the second round you can hold the child’s finger and count the child’s fingers and toes. 

Learning outcomes: develops number concept, vocabulary enhances, development of sense of touch

 

1. While traveling in train or outskirts of the city count along with the child the number of trees, mountains, rivers or tunnels passed. You can even name it as ‘I spy’ and mention what the child needs to find.

Learning outcomes: develops number concept, vocabulary enhances, colour concept develops, skill of observation improves, aesthetic appreciation

 

 

 

1. Counting the number of bikes or cars, bus. You can also introduce the different modes of transport.

Learning outcomes: develops number concept, vocabulary enhances, colour concept develops, skill of observation improves, aesthetic appreciation

 

1. Making a rat with handkerchief- a rat is made using a handkerchief and the child can touch the rat, while the parent brings life in the rat by making movements in the hand (children are generally excited to see it moving especially the young ones). You can instruct the child to lightly run hand over the rat to feel it making a squeaky sound.

Learning outcomes: aesthetic development and appreciation, develop interest in animals, provide care and love for animals, learn animal sounds

 

1. Join the dots- tissue paper/newspaper, pen/pencil. You can draw dots on paper and take turns in joining the dots; making houses by writing your name’s starting letter and check on who makes the maximum number of houses. 

 

               

         

       

 

        

        

       

 

 

1. Pretend play on eating a handkerchief banana- kerchief can be gathered to form a banana and can be used to pretend play as though peeling the banana skin and eating it.

 

1. Zip zap zoom- 

Zip zap zoom 

Say say say on the way way  way

Mr 1 Mr2 Mr 3 3 3, 

Mr 4 Mr 5 Mr 6 6 6,

Mr 7 Mr 8 Mr 9 9 9 and the game continues till the child knows numbers or till both of you are tired.

 

 

Games for 3-4 years

1. Answer every question put forward by the child related to any topic- generally the children of this group ask a lot of ‘wh’ words (what, when, which, how, where)
2. While traveling in train count the number of trees, mountains, rivers or tunnels passed.
3. Make the child read the letters on the boards of shops.
4. Read numbers on other vehicles
5. Name place animal thing- oral
6. Making a rat with handkerchief
7. The queen of the palace lost her ring and some say this and some say that- clapping of hands
8. Join the dots –pencil -paper game
9. I spy games- mention what the child needs to find.
10. Handkerchief/ tissue paper origami
11. Zip zap zoom
12. Clapping of hands game- all clap hands in a particular fashion (left hand down facing upwards and right hand up facing downwards clapping with the child alternating the hand, clap to self in front of you then clap to the child’s hand).

“The queen of the palace lost her ring and some say this and some say that”

But I say (child’s name) madam/ mister (girl/boy)

I madam

Yes madam

No madam

Then who madam/ mister

(Your name or the third person playing)

1. Making a handkerchief rabbit
2. Making a handkerchief banana (for pretend play)

 

 

Games for 5 year

1. Talk about the trees names, their importance to develop child’s curiosity in environment or trees. 
2. Creative story narration (on spot created using the environment).
3. Reading of boards or the letters on the boards of shops.
4. Memory game- one word, two words three words
5. Name place animal thing (train)
6. Cards magic (train)
7. Thread game. Wind the thread around the fingers and twisting them around to make different shapes.
8. Making a rat with handkerchief
9. Rock paper scissors
10. Word building
11. The queen of the palace lost her ring and some say this and some say that- clapping of hands
12. Join the dots
13. I spy games
14. Handkerchief/ tissue paper origami
15. Zip zap zoom

 

I hope you all must have enjoyed going through this article. Each of these games not only entertain but also add some learning values for the child, like finer muscle development, develops number concept, enhancing vocabulary as children interact, development of colour concept, skill of observation improves, aesthetic appreciation (children learn to appreciate as you too would express the beauty of things they do), develop interest in animals, provide care and love for animals, learn animal sounds