Ravina Sewani

You will need nothing for this activity. How to:This activity needs to be played in a group and can be played either indoors or outdoors. This activity is an alternative version of the age-old hide-n-seek game. In this version, only one person hides and everyone else does the seeking. In the game of Sardines, as soon as a seeker finds the hider, (s)he must join the hider in the hiding spot. Hence, it’s a fun challenge for the hider to find a hiding spot that can fit the whole crowd! The last person to find the spot becomes the hider for the next round. Happy Hiding!

Significance:This activity will greatly improve your child's logical and analytical skills.

Sardines

Things you will need: sponges, spray bottles, hand towels, wash cloth, soap pump (liquid soap), watered down shampoo and conditioner in bottles, toothbrushes, 2 water tubs, dolls How to:With the help of your child(ren) set this activity up as follows: <ol><li>Take a water tub and fill it with water. Add the liquid soap in this tub using squeeze bottles.</li><li>Fill another water tub with plain water.</li></ol> Now ask your child to:<ol><li>Brush the teeth of their dolls.</li><li>Bathe and scrub their dolls with soap and sponges.</li><li>Shampoo and condition their hair.</li><li>Clean their dolls in the soap less water tub.</li><li>Pat dry them with wash cloth.</li></ol> Note: Squeezing the bottles, sprayers and sponges is a great way to develop motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination. This activity is best performed in a group. Also, include both the boys and girls in this activity to beat the gender stereotypes!

Significance:This activity will develop your child's motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and help them understand the concept of hygiene.

Pretend baby bath station

Things you will need:Depending on the scenario you choose, you will need specific props for the activity. All the props are easily available but if they are not, you can use card-board, scissors, shoe boxes, craft paper, colours, water, clay and other basic materials to create the necessary props for the role play activity. How to:Role play activities are always fun when carried out in groups. You can choose from the following scenarios to design a role play activity with children: <ul><li>Bakery - Make cookies and chocolates using clay and cardboard, use a shoe box as an oven, set up a counter using a small table and chair and you are good to go.</li><li>Fairy Tale story - Choose the fairy tale your child likes and then using the basic materials set up the fairy tale. For a more lively experience, you and your child can dress up in costumes.</li><li>Flower Shop - Design bouquets, flowers and decorate them with sparkles and you are good to go.</li><li>Pizza Outlet - Design the pizza bases using clay, cut the cardboard and make vegetables, use paper as the cheese, use the shoe box as the oven, use coloured water as sauces and YAY have fun!</li></ul> Similarly, brainstorm with your child about the things they see at the following places and design the role play accordingly:<ul><li>Ice cream Counter</li><li>Tea Party</li><li>Grocery Store</li><li>Hospital</li><li>Garage</li><li>Cinema</li><li>Camping</li><li>Bank</li><li>Airport</li><li>Fire Station</li><li>Library</li></ul> Another way to carry out Role Play activity is to dress up your child as one of the different professions and act like them. Example - doctor, engineer, police, detective, farmer, potter, mayor, fire fighter, astronaut, teacher, chef, lawyer, sailor, watchman, carpenter, manson...etc.

Significance:This activity will enhance your child's imagination and increase their understanding about day to day experiences. This activity will also make your child accept people from all expertise.

Role Playing

Things you will need: big rocks, paint brushes, acrylic colours How to:Making kindness rocks - Collect rocks big enough so that it is easy to write something on them. Wash the rocks properly and let them dry. Help your child to paint the rocks in their favourite colour. Then help them write positive/encouraging notes for their friends/cousins/family. The notes could be anything like: Be Brave, You are loved, Hope, You are perfect, Shine on! and so on. Following are a few kindness activities which you can instruct your child to do on day to day basis:<ol><li>Smile at people</li><li>Hug grandparents/friends (if your child is comfortable in hugging)</li><li>Hi-Fi their pals</li><li>Call their cousin</li><li>Compliment someone</li><li>Feed the birds/animals</li><li>Open the door for someone</li><li>Share their toys</li><li>Donate</li><li>Play with someone new</li></ol> You can make a calendar with your child about these kindness acts and see your child transform into a kind and empathetic individual. A little kindness goes a long way and can help make someone's day better. Be Kind!

Significance:This activity will enhance your child's emotional quotient and will make him/her empathetic towards others.

Random Acts of Kindness

Things you will need: balloons, marker How to:This is a group activity. So, more the children, greater the fun. <ol><li>Divide all the children into two teams equally.</li><li>Make two sets, each of six balloons.</li><li>On these balloons, write the letters to spell out the word W-I-N-N-E-R.</li><li>Scatter the balloons in your backyard or in your house. If you do it inside the house, make sure to remove any furniture that might hurt the children.</li><li>Instruct the children to race and find the letters that spell the word WINNER.</li><li>The first team to collect and arrange their balloons to spell “winner” wins the game.</li></ol> Note: You can spell any word that you want. Happy Gaming!

Significance:This activity will teach your child teamwork and communication among the team.

Balloon Word Search

How to:Gather a group of 8-10 children and divide them into two groups. Decide a treasure of your choice and hide it safely at the end point of the game. Design clues for every step of the game. The clues should be easy enough for children to understand yet difficult enough to force them to think. With every clue they unlock, they get closure to the treasure. The team to reach the treasure first, wins the game. Happy Gaming!

Significance:This game will improve their thinking ability. This game also brings with it a lot of fun.

Treasure Hunt

This activity is an extension of the famous nursery rhyme "If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands". Enact the following actions with corresponding emotions with your child: If you are HAPPY and you know it, CLAP YOUR HANDSIf you are ANGRY and you know it, STOMP YOUR FEETIf you are MAD and you know it, CROSS YOUR ARMSIf you are EXCITED and you know it, JUMP UP AND DOWNIf you are SCARED and you know it, COVER YOUR FACEIf you are NERVOUS and you know it, WALK BRISKLYIf you are CONFUSED and you know it, SCRATCH YOUR HEADIf you are SAD and you know it, PRETEND TO CRY These are a few basic ones, you can add more emotions and actions according to the age of your child. You can guide your child to share their emotions with you through these actions in day to day life if they are too shy to talk about their emotions.

Significance:This activity will help your child be aware about his/her emotions at all times.

If You’re Happy and You Know It

Things you will need: 2 tubs (small broad tubs or containers in which things can be dunked), things to dunk (balls, small toys, soft toys, small boxes, erasers, books, etc) which are safe for children How to:<ol><li>Gather a group of around 8-10 children. Divide them into 2 groups. You can plan this game in the playground or in your backyard.</li><li>At the starting line, make the children stand and give them the things to be dunked in the tubs placed at the finishing line.</li><li>Instruct the children that they have to pick one thing at a time from their stock of things and go and place it in their tub at the finish line.</li><li>Make it clear that they have to place things in their tub only and not in other group’s tub.</li><li>Start the timer and ask the kids to compete against each other.</li><li>Stop the timer after a minute or so and count the things in each tub. The group with the maximum number of things in the their tub, wins the game.</li></ol> Note: Ask the group to think and come up with a solution where they can dunk the things more effectively and quickly. Happy Gaming!

Significance:This game will teach your child how to work as a team in a group and also enhance their communication and social skills.

Dunk It

Things you will need: cooking pot, cooking spoons, bowls, stones, shells, flowers, leaves, scissors, food colouring, glitter tubes How to:With the help of your child set up the activity as follows: <ol><li>Fill up a large stock pot with water.</li><li>Add some food colouring to it and set it on a table.</li><li>Ask the children to prepare the soup by adding different ingredients - stones, shells, flowers, leaves, glitter.</li><li>Let them enjoy the open ended play and see what kind of soup the children come up with.</li></ol> Note: This activity is best played in groups. Also, make sure that both boys and girls are included in the activity to beat the gender stereotypes!

Significance:This activity will introduce the concept of cooking food in an interesting way. It will also help kids to develop team work and social skills.

social skill activities

Activities are an interesting way to teach important life skills to children. Here are a few suggestions for you.