Lets Play!

Our new found passion is Kite flying and Bambaram 
(top spinning). 

The interest suddenly hit us and we had one Enthu-Pattani (eager-beaver) who pestered his Dad to fly the kite with him. I had to literally push the parent to take our EP upstairs to the terrace/roof and fly the kite, a special one got from France (I mention this, only to point out the significance of a Kite that travels overseas, all the way from there to here, and then lies neatly packed inside, as Safety S.Sigamani can't bear to use it b'cos it may get damaged...that's why I have to push the parent:))! 

They were there for close to 3 hours, so finally I had to make  a trip up to see what was happening....but my attention span is a fraction of that and I promptly came back after watching them for 10 minutes...I'm sure I would not have stayed flying a kite for so long...


Then we happened upon an event by Citizen Matters, a local newsletter from Kormangala. They asked us to come fly a kite and play traditional games.

We headed there, but with my near nil knowledge of kite flying, we could keep the kite up for about 2 minutes, and one elderly gentleman had to pitch in to show EP the ropes....

A silver kite was added to the one we already have, now to be flown from our roof top, a better place without any tangling...guaranteed. 

 Our poser does a good spin of the top or Bambaram as it is known in Tamil and happily for him his grandmother also taught him the traditional lingo that goes with top spinning like "mottai" and some such words used when the top falls down without spinning!


He took some time learning the art of throwing the top and making it spin...still has to learn the tricks as well...but he keeps at it and that's what I like...


Our next trial is Gilli-Danda, though he has been pestering me, I have not gone with him downstairs. I have forbidden him from doing anything with it indoors... so I need to take time for that...


I am glad these games can keep him occupied and interested...a change from just watching to actually doing it is great!!

Who to choose and who to read?

Book Club at Think Box Library; while I introduce an author, we play games( Vocabulary), and some other( Fun and book based). I have always liked to work in small groups, more meaningful engagement and children too go back feeling they spent some honestly interactive time.
Wondering which author to introduce for the last session, the first was Dr.Seuss, and then Jan and Stan Berenstain. Its interesting that these 2 are connected. The Berenstains worked for Dr.Seuss publishing company...
I have committed to Franklin next week and so wonder who should be the last one in this 4 session Activity.
Many Interesting Books/Authors out there; who to choose and who to read...That is the question!!

Elephant Enthu

Why do I have Rupa here?

Good question.

Its just that I did a story last Saturday "Little Vinayak" of Karadi Tales at another Library I love to go to, and once again I found that Elephants are such versatile creatures. Are they actually so, or do they transform into this magical creature in the hands of authors who can make them dance to any tune?

They are so lovable, so emotional and so blessed with a be-what-I-will, that any author who casts an elephant in his/her lead role can never go wrong. 

The first story that I ever told to an audience was the tale of an elephant, the sweet Rupa, (by Mickey patel;CBT), she is quite famous and most storytellers have her tale in their story bag I think. I know I did/do, and I know that my sister-in-law, who also tells wonderful tales to little minds, had completely pocketed my daughter with this story, way back when she was a tiny thing with big starry eyes and ears full of stories from her favorite aunt. 

That Rupa was done with a cute story box I had made, complete with animal cut outs that would stand around and in the display for kids to see, a miniature stage for the story to be performed by cardboard artists! (I still have the same cutouts that I use for this story!)...and a great song to go with it.

But Little Vinayak was told without much. Just some long dupattas, that I hurriedly knotted together and a monkey puppet (a little too casual here huh?). But the story went Very well. Tiny Vinayak with his loooong trunk was one dupatta, while Tembo the big elephant was 2 dupattas long!! We did the step-step; side-side dance...and the kids were swinging!

So that's me eulogizing elephants; of course you also know they are extremely intelligent, have their own unique communication, and display behaviours as complex as humans...hmmm...maybe I was an elephant in my last birth....!!!