Belcia Prakash
Young woman playing badminton
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
– 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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NCRB report: 26% increase in crimes against children over two years Reshma Ravishanker India reported a 26% increase in crime against children over the last two years as per the recently ... 
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