What about engaging them with nature, the very essence of living?
Spending 3 hours in front of a blue screen for online classes is very tiring mentally. To counter this frustration and boredom, most kids are handed over mobile phones, tablets, and play stations.
What are we doing? We are adding to the unseen trouble of addiction.
Instead, we need to involve them in simple gardening activities where hands are put to work, the sweat glands do their job, physical activity also becomes fun. All kids don’t get to join a sports club. Everybody may not have a huge garden space.
All these considerations were taken into account and an unhyped camp was designed by Amulya Boondh foundation in association with Dharani foundation. They didn’t promise any takeaways, freebies, or certificates. Self-satisfaction is the best ever certification. Things were brought not from the market, but from their own kitchen scarp like vegetable and fruit peels, seeds, jaggery, coconut shells!
What looked like a “childish ” concept to a few turned out to be a door for more learning and improvement, with more kids wanting to have this experience. Proudly, extravagant fees were charged, to create an unnecessary show. A meager Rs.50 /session of 60 minutes.
Baby steps was an attempt to introduce the concept of nature basics to kids, 5 to 15 before they jump into actual gardening. We attempted to introduce those concepts to kids which they cannot learn in schools due to the heavy syllabus. For example ” eyes of a coconut shell”. Such activities are not “extra” curricular, on the contrary, they are “the need of the hour”
Bioenzmyes, banana enzymes, onion compost tea, microgreens were accomplished through the hands of these tiny tots. Wet waste management, garden ecosystem, plastic grades and segregation, and natural substitutes for chemicals to follow.
Sadly, we discuss academic and sports achievements, but none talks about his or her child who excels in nature love!