This Children's Day kids will 'Take off with Te Whariki’

by Shrutee K/DNS

Mumbai: Podar Jumbo Kids will 'Take off with Te Whariki’ here on November 14. Te Whariki is the early childhood curriculum of the government of New Zealand and Podar Jumbo Kids adapted it as the curriculum for all its 340 daycares across India. Te Whariki curriculum has 9 areas of development that parents and teachers can understand and focus on in a fun based manner.

The event will showcase fun based activities for children to play, explore and experience and thus enjoy their day with their friends and play. Present on the occasion will be Consul General of New Zealand Ralph Hays and will start at 9 am at Podar Jumbo Kids in Khar (W).

President of Podar Education Network, Dr. Swati Popat Vats believes that children should experience childhood for as long as possible. We steal so many things from children, their childhood, their right to play, their right to eat healthy, their right to a stress free life and so it is imperative that this children’s day we stop stealing and start gifting! Not only materialistic gifts but the gift of overall holistic development.

This festival will highlight 9 areas of the Te Whariki curriculum and consist of various activities for children to enjoy and teachers to explore.

Family and Community- Five currant buns in the baker’s shop where children will explore and learn some Math activities.

Holistic Development- Jack teaches kids about beans- take the bean test and enhance your numberand letter skills.

Contribution and Belonging-Mowgli will teach kids about taking care of animals and extinct animals which will help children to develop aesthetic sense of environment.

Relationship-Hansel and Gretel teach children about day and night and they will learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places, and things.

Empowerment and Communication- Poor Humpty Dumpty how sad that he can’t be put together again-----or can he? Know our new version in this corner where children will explore and learn about physical development.

Wellbeing- Learn about the lifecycle of water creatures with the Ugly Duckling that will help children to understand the importance of health, hygiene, and nature.

Exploration- Children will explore the world of different creatures through different innovative games and meet Little Miss Muffet who teaches them not to get scared of spiders and creepy crawlies.

Also have them participate in a unique Muppet show with Jumbo the Elephant, Tiggy the Tiger, Bhaloo the Bear, Ducky Duck, Pinky the Pencil, the vegetable friends and of course a surprise dance by Santa Claus!

This unique festival is open for schools and parents to bring their children for a nominal fee of 10 rupees, all collections will then be donated to create library at Podar’s adopted balwadi. Podar will also be taking the fun to the following orphanages and balwadis.

Mannata Orphanage, Maha Niketan, Beru- Badlapur, Shasakiya Mulanche Vasatigruha- Ulhasnagar, Vishwabalak Kendra, Nanihal, Vimala Orphanage- Versova, Janani Aashish- Dombivli, Bandra East Community Center, Support Location- Santacruz East

About Podar Education Network

Podar Institute of Education is the teacher training wing of Podar Education Network, to help its teacher trainees understand and experience developmentally appropriate practice and globally relevant curriculum. It has lab schools called Podar Jumbo Kids. Today there are over 130 Podar Institute of Education centers all over India and they prepare young learners to become dedicated early childhood teachers. It also runs the CACHE- U.K teacher training certificates that qualify teachers to work in UK, UAE and of course India. Till date more than 14000 teachers have got their diplomas from Podar Institute of Education and are touching the lives of thousands of young children in schools in India and abroad.

Podar Institute of Education has also been instrumental in conducting many important surveys related to children, parenting and education. These surveys have been published by various media houses and have benefitted many people.

Podar Institute of Education and Podar Jumbo Kids is a celebration of childhood! It is no surprise then that its philosophy is called ‘kiducation’ which means everything from the point of view of the child. Children’s day is a festival at Podar Institute of Education and Podar Jumbo Kids with child friendly celebrations at all its 340 centers. Child friendly means, no junk food as always, no aerated drinks and child friendly and age appropriate songs, games, and activities. Freedom to be a child is the general theme that we celebrate during children’s day and our teacher training colleges have a unique festival-Hip Hip Hurray that helps parents and teachers understand the importance of childhood and gift childhood back to children.