The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 26 - 30

What started off as a 10-day summer camp has now crossed 30 days and we are thrilled as a family. We have something to look forward to every single day. The children are happy. Niall, our older son keeps himself occupied all day while we work from home because he knows that the evenings are going to be very exciting. 

Here's where you can find our previous posts. 

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20
Activities of Day 21 - 25

Day 26: Crash course on how a washing machine works

We're probably the only crazy family rejoicing that our washing machine broke down. We didn't want to miss learning about the machine in our summer camp. Can't think of any other camp that offers this. Yeah, we're cool that way.

Since servicing this will take a while, we turned to YouTube to guide us through the insides of the machine. Niall and Dada dearest went through each part and how it works. Niall has learnt to drain the pipes, clean the inlet and outlet pipes and clear the waste compartment (for lack of a better word). But this time around, he cleaned the soap chambers as well. I am secretly praying that we find someone to fix it else it will be one of the many machines we have enthusiastically opened up with no clear plan on how to fix or close it. Also behind the scenes: all of us are washing clothes by hand and convincing Niall that it is a great activity but he's not one to fall for that!

Day 27: Spin-a-story

This is a game that people of all age groups can play but my experience tells me that children have the best stories to tell. With or without cues, they can send you into their wonderland where the impossible becomes possible. Niall's story world is filled with construction vehicles, dinosaurs, complicated technology, and loads of colour.

Our evening was dedicated to storytelling. To begin with, we used one of our board games - Spin-a-story that contains different cues cards. You introduce one card at a time and the storyteller incorporates it in his or her story. You can make your own cue cards as well.

We also tweaked the game a little and created a mystery bag with props. As Niall started his story, I introduced one prop at a time and he had to weave his story around it. The videos will tell you more. You must try this game that helps children use their imagination, learn how to frame their thoughts quickly, and express themselves in a creative way. It also acts as a good speaking exercise in which Niall didn't need practice because there's no stopping him if he begins to talk. His stories are never boring.

Day 28: Finger painting and making our own lampshade

This was by far the best activity of our camp. Niall said he does not want this camp to end. Ever. He did the cutting of paper by himself but under supervision, helped to give each panel support, and did the finger painting of the flowers. I did help out for the stems in the red picture. Niall and I then put the lampshade together and dada dearest fixed it for us.

This activity truly brought out a sense of accomplishment though it was a little tiring for a late weekday evening. It is ideal as a weekend project.

Can't thank you enough for the love all of you have shown us through your comments, messages on whatsApp and FB, enquiries and post shares. Pls feel free to share your ideas with us. Super happy and proud!

Day 29: A true musical evening

As you can see, we have quite a few musical instruments at home. 3 guitars, 3 keyboards, 3 flutes, 1 violin, and 1 harmonica...that's it. And you can't always hide them from the boys. So today we decided it was time to introduce Niall to the world of instruments. Yes, while he is learning to play the guitar from dada dearest, we thought it was a good idea to just explore the different kinds of instruments that are popular. Niall also got to try all of them. He particularly enjoys the harmonica as he can carry it around the house and hide it from his brother. Both our sons enjoy music and are quick to pick up lyrics and tunes. We are waiting for Niall to grow a little older to introduce him to formal classes if he is still keen. 

You can also see Nigel playing the keyboard in one of the pics. He made a guest appearance to our camp today. He is 2 and can barely talk but can give you a great musical show that's highly dramatic. He's a thorough entertainer.

Day 30: Not just any scavenger hunt

With a lot of time spent on chores and blogs today, I couldn't think of the right kind of activity that was exciting and at the same time simple to execute. On days like this is when a scavenger hunt comes handy. All you need is a list of things that your child/children need to collect. You can time it to make it even more exciting. I gave it a little twist. I added some writing and some word games into it.

Part 1: Create smaller words from SCAVENGER HUNT

Part 2: Read the description and write down the item

Part 3: Collect all the items within a given time

Nigel added his own fun element to this activity. Each time Niall brought something, Nigel would return it back to its place. But as you see all of it ended in a surprisingly happy picture.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20
Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 31 onwards (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 21-25

It is 21 days since we started the summer camp and the excitement is still on. Niall and I really look forward to the evenings when we can sit down for our activities. 

Here's where you can find our previous posts. 

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Day 21: Best out of waste

Something we all have done when we were children - craft with pista shells. I was almost going to give up today as I couldn't think of any quick activity. I thought I'll name it the 'let Niall get bored day'. But then, I didn't want the camp to have a break. Of course, I wasn't worried that Niall would be bored, it is good for children to get bored sometimes and have nothing to do. Anyways I will keep it short. Here's our art and craft work with pista shells. I stepped in to apply glue and add a few finishing touches for the grass. Idea source - Pinterest. 

I am excited about tomorrow. Niall and I have been working on something really special. We hope we'll be able to share it with you tomorrow.

Day 22:  Sign Language

Go beyond. We introduced Niall to the alphabet in sign language when he was 4. But because we don't use it often, it was soon forgotten. So this week, we've been learning simple Indian Sign Language. Both of us would like to be able to have at least a basic conversation in sign language. The trigger to pick this up again was a video I saw recently. We're looking for friends who can help learn the language better or with whom we can practice.

As a parent, I think this is as important as any language we learn so our children do not have limitations when it comes to communicating. I miss watching the news for the differently abled. I do understand we have various apps to help them but what about conversations with those around. We need to make it possible for all of us to talk to each other with or without speech and hearing. This journey shall continue.

Day 23: Make your own battery operated toys

In the last week, Niall was introduced to basic electricals. Ever since, he's walking around with his personal pocket fan and light bulb that runs on batteries. To take it a step ahead, dada dearest taught him to use the same motor to make toys. We didn't have fancy stuff around, so we used whatever was available - a broken wheel, a medicine cap, toy accessories from other toys. Niall experimented on the speed of the toys in proportion to the weight the motor carried. A few experiments and he came up with this. Dada helped to drill the cap and explain the mechanics around it. Niall has already made his list of things to buy to make more sophisticated toys with better equipment. Oh Amazon, we miss you.

Day 24: Digital painting

Though we are not too fond of screen time even if means an activity, we felt this one was good for Niall to be engaged in. Niall's long wish of 'learning designing' came true today. He has always watched Vinod use photoshop and other tools and has been requesting for an activity related to designing. Today, with Paint, he was able to make his own picture. And it's not the end result that mattered but the very detailed and colourful story that accompanied this activity. Keeping children busy is easy. It's us parents who complicate it.

And thank you for all the love all of you have been showing us on our posts. It means a lot to us and keeps encouraging us. Apart from many whatsApp messages, I got a query from a corporate and a freelance reporter. Three other parents have started their summer camps as well. Yaaayyy. Happy that a personal holiday activity is helping many around.

Day 25: Don't just cook, make it a meal to remember

Niall now starts getting restless about what's in store for the evening as part of the summer camp. He's loving it. So today, Niall made an entire meal for himself (and a little for us too). We didn't have much time at hand today so picked some super easy recipes. On Chef Niall's menu we had tomato soup, cheese omlette and a chocolate mug cake. He was done in 20-25 mins and was very thrilled. Proud that my boy can now feed himself a happy meal. In the process however the kitchen was extended to the living area and bedroom as well. But I am not complaining because with this actity Niall covered exercises of reading the recipes (he read the word ingredients right in the first attempt), refresher/ revision of ingredients in the kitchen cabinet, using a cooker, pan, induction cooktop, gas stove, weighing and measuring ingredients, dropping an egg and denying it, multitasking with three dishes and of course plating. I played the role of a good sous chef who was just being ordered around and had to clean up after his highness. Lots of fun nonetheless.

Apart from this, Niall's favourite timepass is spending time with his pup Brownie. Part of the same litter, Brownie was the weakest. So Niall ensures that he is well taken care of. Hours go in feeding the pup and forcing him to sleep under a thick bedsheet on a warm afternoon. But the pup seems to be happy. They love each other. Yes, we'll be bathing Brownie shortly as that's entered our goal sheets for the week, courtesy Niall.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 16-20

It is 20 days since we started the summer camp and the excitement is still on. Niall and I really look forward to the evenings when we can sit down for our activities. 

Here's where you can find our previous posts. 

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Day 16: Planting veggies

Playing with mud has always been fun. Niall got his gardening tools out today and decided to get to work. We decided to plant some methi and tomato seeds. Let's hope they germinate. Niall always likes to assist in gardening. While I am certain he likes digging mud and watering plants the most. Let's hope the seeds we sowed today germinate soon enough, else I'll have a lot of explaining to do. And there you see Niall's friends as well. I'm also attaching a video for how they helped Niall. Sadly one of the pups who was sick yesterday didn't make it through the night.

Extras: This one was taken at the start of our summer camp. In conversation with Niall Greg Lobo. You must try this with your children. I borrowed this idea from another friend. Here are the questions I asked Niall.

1. If you got a million rupees what would you do?
2. What does mum or dad always say to you?
3. What would you like to become when you're older?
4. When do you think, you will be an adult?
5. If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
6. How can we make the world a better place?
7. Where do babies come from?
8. How much money do you think is needed to buy a house?
9. Why should we be nice to others?
10. What is really important to you?
11. If you were to change one rule in your house, what would it be?
12. What are you scared of?
13. What do you want your mum / dad do everyday?
14. How long do you think it will take to reach Australia?
15. How does God look? (My question was grammatically wrong, but Niall answered it right)

Day 17: The lockdown haircut

The lockdown presents us with so many possibilities and opportunities. Who knew that one day Niall and mama would cut dada's hair (and beard) and that he would allow us to. We are super proud of the outcome of our 90 minute effort. The results look great, don't they?

On the other hand, we know that Niall and I are never going to be barbers or hair stylists, we are done with our curiosity and quota of fun. In case you find any flaws, don't tell us about them. :-)

This summer camp does have some weird and crazy offerings.

Day 18: Craft from old newspapers

Niall comes to me one evening and dramatically tells me how he 'can't live' without art & craft and for long has been asking me for a craft activity. You are likely to see a lot of craft from us in the days to come, now that Niall has announced his life's calling. :-)

We've always been appreciative of craft made out of waste. So here's what we made today. A wall hanging made with old newspapers and flowers made out of used wrapping paper. It was super easy to do and we helped Niall only with the cutting of flowers and final assembly. It's a perfect lockdown activity because you don't need any fancy material. Since I score very less in the department of craft, dada dearest was the expert for this activity.

Day 19: Crash course in electricals 

I can barely change a bulb. During this lockdown, I realized it's so important to know certain basic skills which we have conveniently ignored. Here's Niall learning the basics of electricals. Topics covered: sources of electricity, using batteries to light a bulb and run a fan, fixing wires to plugs, fixing wires to bulb holders and finally the joy of lighting a bulb that you fixed completely. Niall also has a basic electric kit in which he assembled the motor to run an LED bulb. He also tested all the batteries at home to check if they were in good condition. It was interesting to see dada and Niall engrossed in the two-hour long activity. As for me, my knowledge on electricals is so poor, I had to take help for today's post. Left to me, I would have just said they did something with wires. 

Day 20: Understanding Indian currency. 

My mum has a great collection of stamps and currency. For today's activity, mama and Niall spent some time understanding the journey of Indian currency, the different types, what's still in circulation and what's not, how to identify denominations and the components on each note and coin. The worst part? Explaining that something called Paise existed. The questions around this were too many giving me loads of homework. 

Remember how much fun we had tracing coins back in school? I introduced that to Niall today coupled with a spelling and writing exercise. He dislikes writing so I have figure out ways to get him to write. This activity involved a little history, math, spelling and writing. Cool, isn't it? Through the activity we realized the coins needed cleaning, so that's going to be the activity for my mum and Niall tomorrow morning.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 11-15

We've already completed 10 days of our camp and we're super happy. We are always looking out for exciting things to do. If you've missed our previous updates, here you go. 

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Day 11: More cooking and grating coconuts

Niall has never complained about chores. He in fact loves being a part of everything at home. We've never had a maid at home. Yes, shocking but true. So all of us at home share responsibilities. While he usually operates the washing machine, cleans the restrooms, and swabs the floor, he has always shown an interest to cook. Now with all of us at home, we don't just eat together but cook together. Niall prepared a raw banana dish with help only in cutting. We follow the OPOS way of cooking. Easy peasy for children as well. Do read up about it. 

Coconut is an important ingredient in our cuisine. So here's Niall learning to grate a coconut the traditional way from dada dearest. If you ask a Mangalorean, they'll say it's a life skill. We can't do without coconuts.

Day 12: More painting and the fan club increases

It's now confirmed. Niall prefers painting to drawing. Ever since his first "good" sunset painting, he's been asking for more painting sessions. After a long day at work, we were still able to squeeze in time for this painting. For long, we allowed his painting and drawing to be spontaneous. We still do most of the time because they are accompanied by a hundred stories. But it's recently, that we started engaging in a little structured art to inculcate a few techniques and most importantly the art of patience.

Mama and Niall enjoyed doing this night sky of Mount Fuji. It wasn't as easy as we thought it was. It had our favourite elements - a volcano and cherry blossoms. Niall completed the cherry blossoms with a combination of brushwork and fingerprints. If you know me, by now you know that this painting session was accompanied by a mini class on volcanos and Mount Fuji. Yes, I won't disappoint you. Moreover, Niall enjoys contextual learning. Both of us are loving this time!

Day 13: Niall, Kannada, flour and loads of fun

When Niall was around 3, my mum began sending him to the nearby store to buy some stuff. His task was to walk to the store, request the shopkeeper in Kannada, pay, and then walk home with the item. In the cutest way, he would say "uncle, ondu packet mosaru kodi" or "yeradu motte kodi" (uncle, a packet of curds please) That's where his class in conversational Kannada began. He today understands anything spoken in Kannada but is shy to speak.

We're now guiding him to recognize letters and write them so he can eventually read boards. So here's something fun we did today. We got this idea from Niall's school - Aurinko Academy. Quite a lot of practice happened until the two got bored. Knowing the local language is a must. Don't you think so?

Day 14: Painting beyond the canvas

When the boy is on a painting spree, be quick to get some pending work done. Our composting khamba needed a facelift and we just couldn't get ourselves to do it. Today we had the time, paint and the painter. Dada dearest gave us a class on the different kinds of paint and how different it is from painting on paper. Niall did most of it before his pups came along and then he was gone. Dada, on the other hand was waiting for one of us to give up. He said this kind of painting brought back a lot of childhood memories.
Being Good Friday, we had two online church services to attend and a whole lot of Bible stories to talk about. 

Day 15: Getting familiar with kitchen ingredients

Today Niall was introduced to various ingredients in the kitchen. Surprisingly he knew quite a few. We got our containers out and one by one he touched, smelt and tasted them. It was quite a simple activity but the learning was immense. From spitting out tamarind to asking for a second helping of cinnamon to fighting over why I gave him pepper, this activity activated all the senses and brought forth so many emotions.

Thank you all for following my updates every day and encouraging me with your kind words. Many of you had questions for me. Let me try answering some of them.

1. Yes I do work during the day. But set aside some time every day depending on the activity.
2. No, I don't have a list. I just plan my day and choose one task or activity that can be made exciting. Sometimes I pick something different to dodo outside of my routine.
3. I spend anywhere between 30 mins to two hours depending on the activity. Most of the activities I plan are after 7 pm. Niall and I have painted past midnight too.
4. I post on social media to help other parents and that also motivates me to make each day interesting.
5. No, I am not going out of my way. All our children deserve our time. I have just hyped it into a summer camp to keep Niall interested.
6. Yes, Niall does more than this in a day. He helps with chores, plays, wants to be read to, does some puzzles, spends some time in prayer, plays with his brother and stretches each meal to two hours.
7. Of course, he watches TV, but in installments. But all put together not more than 1 hour of screen time and that includes tabs, mobiles and tv. Yes a lot of drama happens when it time to turn off the TV. During school time he gets two hours of screen time every week and we've all made peace with that.

Happy Easter to all of you. Oh and before I forget, we have an update on the 8 pups Niall had adopted. Two are missing and two are really sick. He just fed them separately and I hope they make it through the night.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 6 - 10

We hope you're enjoying our activities of the camp. If you've missed out on our previous blog of the activities from Day 1 to 5, click here.

Day 6: Introduction to painting in a structured way

Niall and I had a great time painting together. We indulged in some freehand painting. I say structured here because usually Niall is free to do whatever he wants on paper. We don't insist on him imitating another picture. It has its own pros and cons. In today's exercise, we picked an image that needed no drawing. We worked on different shades and then painted the tree. The silhouette of the cheetah was done with a hand made stencil (courtesy Vinod) and the sponge dabbing technique. The leaves on Niall's tree are dabbed with earbuds. We are super proud of ourselves. The biggest reward - the boy sat through this for an hour. Idea source: Pinterest

Day 7: Cooking, reading, and some DIY craft

Niall made his first dish today - carrot and beans poriyal. It was a cooking and reading activity where he had to read the recipe and put the dish together. The cutting was done by an adult. Needless to say, he loves the vegetable because he made it himself. And we opened a treehouse to assemble. It was time to put all those return gifts to use. Clearly Niall now is bored of the pictures I keep clicking during his activities. He is camera shy and is not too keen on me go click, click, click all the time. 

 Day 8: Biblical stories

Niall had the opportunity of being a part of a Sunday School activity today. Thanks to a friend of ours, who included him in their Chruch activities. He thoroughly enjoyed the Biblical story of Moses and the journey of the Israelites across the Red sea. He quickly made the sea on paper and took us through the story. 

Niall has now begun reading on his own, so the Children's Bible is one of his favourite books. Tomorrow's a big day. Stay tuned!

Day 9: The best birthday party ever

Niall and Nigel (my younger son) share their birthdays. While we generally don't indulge in lavish celebrations, but we definitely try and make it memorable. With no options of going out, we camped on the terrace. We created a cozy corner with decorative lights and music. We baked two cakes with their favourite themes and their favorite food. This was an awesome party. Happy birthday to my boys. It was activity time for dada and mama today from setting up the place to making cards to cooking and feeding the 8 pups we spoke of in our previous posts. Thanks to all the video calls and two online meetings with Niall's friends from school and our family. It was truly a memorable day for all.

Day 10: Introduction to cameras and photography and fixing the drip irrigation pipes

Niall got his hands on three types of cameras today. The film camera (yes, we do have one with films), a point and shoot and a DSLR. It was quite a task to explain that photography before digital cameras existed. This lesson has gone a long way as Niall now keeps using the 'point and shoot' camera to click a lot of pictures. 

Niall also got his hands dirty trying to fix the drip irrigation pipes in the garden. Tools used: hacksaw blade, pliers, winding tape, and immense strength. He loved it but we felt he had to grow a little more to do it. Niall was introduced to knives and scissors quite early and has been very careful. This activity required a lot of supervision. He finally did fix a few pipes and rearrange some pots. Gardening has been one of his interest areas for some time now.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp Day 1-5

Niall is our 6-year-old, who like most children of his age loves to keep himself busy with some activity of the other. Holidays are a challenge and we are always looking for ways to keep him engaged. With no access to summer camps in our locality and the lockdown in the country, we decided to make one ourselves. We called it 'The Mama and Dada Summer Camp' and created a lot of hype about it and how exciting it would be. We were lucky to sell the idea to him and live up to the hype created as well. We post daily updates on Facebook and the response has been truly encouraging. Through this blog, we want to reach out to other parents who could benefit from these ideas. 

The camp has one exciting activity a day in addition to household chores that Niall has to do, some writing exercises and some prayer time. Since my husband, Vinod and I are working from home these days, it's only in the evenings that we are able to dedicate time for an activity. So my mother, Vinod and I are always thinking of what activities we can bring to the table each evening. 

So here's a compilation of what we have been up to all these days. 

Day 1: Introduction to cooking

Cooking is a life skill that everyone must know. And I believe it should be taught early in life. The lockdown has taught so many of us that you cannot survive on instant noodles alone. This activity involved learning to wash and cut vegetables and helping in the actual cooking. 

Day 2: Introduction to guitar

When you have three guitars at home, a guitar class is a must. An activity that will be a long term class to make complete use of the in-house instructor. We have guitars of three different sizes and I am thinking Niall can use them for the next 15 years or until he finishes college. If only dreams came true!

Day 3: Setting up a puppy shelter

Imagine having 8 little pups to keep you company. That's how lucky we are! A street dog near our house littered and Niall has gone all out to ensure they are well taken care of. Niall set up his 'Dog, puppy, cat, kitten pet house' and today feeds about 10 dogs and pups. He has his favorites among the litter and ensures they get privileged treatment. Here's an interview as well so you get a better idea.

Day 4: Sky gazing

The weather has been good and air clean. Almost every evening is ideal for sky gazing. Download any of the sky gazing apps and you're sorted. Niall and I had a great time identifying different stellar formations and we even spotted a planet. But activity meant more homework for mama as well. More for another day. Several sky-gazing apps are available to have a great experience. Try it!

Day 5: Drawing with numbers 1- 4. 

This is an easy way to practice writing, get some hand exercises, and learn basic drawing skills. Perfect for a 5 to 6-year-old. There were several practice sheets before we got to this final copy. 

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)