Christmas at AV and Kidwai

Did a couple of sessions for Christmas at Kidwai and at Anand Vidyalaya

Always a pleasure but the Kidwai kids this time were really young and we did not have a translator.

Hence focussed more on craft and  the smiles were worth it!

Christmas Gala at Home and at CC

Had wonderful sessions at my apartment and at Cavalry Cottage for bringing in the season

At Cavalry Cottage:

I was particularly excited about how the crafts turned out

Stories in the Park and a Church

100 hands Handmade Collective had a poetry theme this year and I had fun conducting sessions for the kids at St Andrews Church- a lovely venue.

Also had a huge & rapt audience at Cubbon Park Cubs of Cubbon by For Young India

Arts Tales at The Green Bazaar

Had fun at my first time at The Green Bazaar as a storyteller.

Also did a bunny upcycle craft from tissue rolls.

Very interactive bunch of kids!

Children's Day Arts Tales Style

Conducted three different sessions fro Children's Day.
 
One at a school- the entire Montessori bunch of over 200 kids were there

One in my Apartment

One in another apartment community the next day

Absolutely awesome time.  Felt blessed since the event I had originally been looking forward to had got cancelled - All for the good!

Karnataka Karnival

Celebrated some folk lore and history of Karnataka due to Rajyotsava

Morning -At an apartment library:

Afternoon- Kidwai:

Evening- Anand Vidyalala:

Diwali Do

Mud Forts, or Shivaji Killa, are made during Diwali in Maharashtra. They are great lessons in resourcefulness and teamwork. Here is what the inspired kids made at my apartment:

Also conducted a lantern workshop for the Diwali do:

For Friends of Elephants

Did a lovely session on conservation for kids at Atta Galatta

Here are more pics

Arts Tales at Sunday Soul Sante

Was at Sunday Soul Sante in association with The Green Pocket

Though it could have been better attended and less noisy ( stage music) , it was good fun.

Had two story sessions with some songs and trivia and all with an Indian flavour.

More pics here

Joy of Giving Week

Marked the Joy of Giving Week with a lively session with over 100 kids at BGMS Shishukunj Vidyalaya.

You can look up Daan Utsav for more ideas-https://www.facebook.com/daanutsav

Urban Folk at Kitsch Mandi

Was a performer at Kitsch Mandi which I have visited long ago as a ...what else shopper.

Had planned more native stories like An Identity Card for Krishna but ended up doing tales from Cuba, Africa and Hampi given the audience profile.

An interesting and novel experience.

Arts Tales at BLF 2014

 

A session for Tulika's new books from the NE - that is what took me to BLF this year as a performer

 

The session was delayed and it began at lunch time  ( 1pm)
Given that, it was well attended , with Parikarma kids also marking their attendance

Began with a warm up and made the kids race- Mary versus Kom, asked a few trivia on the NE region

Then moved into Race of the Rivers. This was followed by another race and then did a wrap with Handreelmai's Loom - Tak Tak Sum was the hook there.

 

Closed by asking folks to learn more about NE- you see like we do not wish to be labelled Madrasis I am sure they would like individual identities to be recognized.They are 7 sisters and 1 brother state after all.

More pics here

Write up by the BLF folks

A Super Birthday Do

Had a wonderful session with 6 and under at a  birthday of a young lad who likes HYST!

Tried to keep it organic, franchise neutral and active and fun.

So chuffed by the feedback.

Namak ho Takloo ka Takloo Namak

..as the yester-years  Tata salt jingle goes.

For Pratham's International Literacy day I managed to do four sessions and they went off really well.

The book is very well illustrated and has multiple concepts to explore:
- Entrepreneurship
- Coins and currency
- Relative size
- Colours and shades
- even Cameras

The first session also concluded my Tentastic Champions for the year

 Across sessions, I mostly narrated in English with a few words in Marathi, Hindi, Tamil added in

Dressed in as much of a Maharashtrian attire as I could, the  Karadi song Kites Kites morphed into with Pots Pots. Also  created a chant liek Paplu last year:
Takloo Takloo
Five yr old Takloo
Smart Little Takloo
Salt Seller Takloo

Home ( 20 kids)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.934510263231875.1073741872.770350016314568&type=3

Hippo ( 40 kids)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.935276753155226.1073741873.770350016314568&type=3

Kidwai ( 20 kids) with Girish from Samiksha as the able translator- I avoided the word Takloo and used Bablu here lest I hurt someone inadvertently
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.935279833154918.1073741874.770350016314568&type=1

AV ( 30 kids)
Added the story of King Lear for these enthusiastic bunch. 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.935282659821302.1073741875.770350016314568&type=3

A great feeling!!

With HoneyBees Nature Club

For the first time I partnered with HoneyBees Nature Club and did some exciting tree tales with enthusiastic little ones in a green setting

Kara Day

Felt good to be a part of Kara Day! Did the Story Trail of India ( Missing Bat, Mrs Lee and the Mosquito, Seventh Sun & Paplu) with Paplu Craft. Kids looked great in ethnic wear.
More pics here

Kitschdii turns one

Had a great session at Kitschdii as they turn one this month.

Cosy group of younger kids and three awesome stories- Visitor for bear, Tsunamika and The Day the Crayons Quit.

More pics here

Session at Ashraya Home

Was delighted to  narrate elefun tales to wee ones at the home. This is such a professionally run and thoughtful NGO service- wonderful staff as well.

Sharing smiles at Kidwai Kids

Was at Kidwai with Share a Smile celebrating the latter's first anniversary.

Introduced Tsunamika and Martina to the kids along with the Smile song.

It was great to see the genuine warmth the SAS youngsters have for the cancer affected children.

Back at AV- Pratham Tentastic

On the occassion of Guru Poornima, conducted a session highlighting a couple of guru-shishya stories and The Missing Bat and Turtle Tales - my 9th Tentastic session for Pratham.

Had a wonderful opportunity to present fairy tales with strong female leads.

Ranganna was in focus in Kanpur by Ro of Inknuts!!  And a pair of twins celebrated a Ranganna theme birthday. How cool is that?

Sessions Three

 - Revisited Kutoohala after almost a year and had a lovely session there.

- Was part of the event for a library's first birthday- Daffodil.

- Conducted Session 8 for Pratham Tentastic for really deserving orphans at a very well maintained and focused Shisukunj school run by the Bharatiya Garameen Mahila Sangh

More pics- here, here and here

TrunkTales at Bookalore and Mango Mania at 100 hands

Tooth Tales and Monsoon Magic- Pratham session 6 & 7

Was part of the ALD Dental camp and narrated tooth related stories  to slum kids in Sarjapura- 90 of them!

With Chennai being hot, this was a wish filled session
Did Tsunamika and Two Pratham tales for a dear friend's daughter and her gang
Also inspired by Kapiti Plain we made rainmakers and had some lovely activities and lots of rain related songs

Pratham Tentastic 4 ( in Mumbai) and 5 and more!

Conducted my first ever story session (during lunch break!!) at Mumbai thanks to Devaki of Little Reader's Nook. Did both my books and The Missing Bat from Pratham. What fun we had!

Saturday opened with a session in the neighbourood for Pratham Tentastic and folks generously donated towards Kidwai kids. Thanks to R aunty who helped organise the session there;

Also did a maiden session at Chooku Booku, run by an enterprising ex journalist Chetana. It was different from my story sessions as the focus was how to create a story and tell one. Pics here.