Tag: kids

Introducing Bento: A Unique South Asian Kids’ Magazine

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani2 Comments

My dear readers,

I am excited to introduce “Bento” to you. Published by the Austin-based non-profit Peerbagh, it’s a one-of-a-kind global South Asian kids’ print magazine and I am happy to be one of the contributors.

About Bento

“Bento,” is the only global South-Asian children’s magazine in print. It has multiple stories by diverse and global South Asian creators talking about history, culture, and storytelling. There are fun activities for kids and their grownups as well.

The first issue is on the theme “where the wild things are,“ which features my story – “The Koel Bird Who Saved 1000 Mango Trees. My story is inspired by my grandmother’s Magahi-language folk story about a bird who just refuses to give up. I am sure it will inspire our readers and also help them connect with nature.

In this issue, you will learn about elephants from Afghanistan, travel with snow leopards in the Himalayas, discover the unicorns in the Indus Valley, and work on your animal trivia! Bento has a special section by student reporters.

Pre-order Bento

If you want to introduce delightful South Asian stories to your children, you can preorder the quarterly magazine here (US, UK and Canada). Readers residing in South Asia can order here. All pre-orders will get a free reading list printable.

Publishing Opportunity

If you are a South Asian writer and want to share your unpublished work for upcoming issues, use this link.

“Bento” is produced by GudNut Media LLC and distributed in partnership with Millennium India Education Foundation. If you are a bookseller or library trying to buy bulk copies of “Bento”, please email GudNut media at gudnutmedia@gmail.com or reach out to Upasna Kakroo at namaste@peerbagh.com.

Hope you will spread the word and promote diverse story-telling in the US and around the world. It’s a brave and laudable effort by Upasna Kakroo to support marginalized South Asian voices and story-telling.

Thank you for your encouragement and always wishing only the best for you,

Shivangi

#diversebooks #southasian #kidsmagazine #kidsstory

Koel saves 1000 mango trees – An audio bedtime story

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani, StoriesLeave a comment

Long ago, my grandma (naani) told me the story of a resilient little bird, who loses his seeds and tries every trick to get them back. Out of that Magahi folk story, this story was born.

This chain tale is about a Koel bird, who leaves no stone unturned to save mango trees. Everyone calls her silly, but she just doesn’t give up!

Tonight, during story time with your kids or grandkids, you can play this oral story on YouTube here or by using relevant keywords directly on YouTube.

The oral story has been wonderfully created by the nonprofit Peerbagh. The voice narration is by theatre veteran Vishal Verma. This story is even more dear to me because it has my mother’s Magahi song in it (starts at 50 seconds).

Peerbagh is an Austin-based non-profit and is committed to the mission of preserving oral storytelling traditions from South Asia. They also provide a lovely maker box for parents and kids to encourage storytelling.

I would like to thank Peerbagh’s founder Upasna Kakroo for her wonderful efforts to revive the oral storytelling traditions of India and South Asia.

#oralstory #audiostory #bedtimestory #oralfolkstory #magahistory

Small Things#27 – Did you know mummies wrap toilet papers around them?

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani6 Comments

Here are some cool thoughts on mummies by a five year old. The little one has read a book on Epic.com called ‘The Mummy’s Curse’ and has been telling some great stories about them.

  1. So, if you are buying too many toilet papers, beware of the mummy’s curse! Mummies wrap toilet paper to hide their dead faces and may get mad if they don’t find toilet papers in stores.

  2. Did you know mummies can easily take their brains out through their noses?

  3. Mummies live in cool triangles called pyramids and do not like to be disturbed at all. So, let them rest in peace.

  4. Mummies eat foods like mummy soup, mummy macaroni to keep their bodies strong.

  5. Mummies have dead pets and the dogs and cats have toilet papers wrapped around them too.

Mummies are ‘dead’ but they like to ‘live’ like that…

I keep nodding while listening to such stories. There is no logic, no fact but abundance of vivid, vibrant and wondrous imagination.

A five minute chat with a little child is all we need for magical creativity because…

“Every child is born blessed with a vivid imagination…”

The mummy stories have started again… so got to go! You all take care…

(Images courtesy Google)

A gift for kids – Short Bedtime Story of Nidra Devi

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani12 Comments

Here is what happens when the Goddess of Sleep, falls asleep herself! How will she wake up? Who will save the world? Read this free 5-minutes tale in this blog to know more.

‘Nidra Devi Goes to Sleep’ is a present for your little ones from my side for being good at home and bravely coping with the ‘new normal’ like a superhero.

    Nidra Devi Goes to Sleep

As a child, everyone must have known Nidra Devi. But as grownups, we have all forgotten about her and her stories.

She is the goddess of sleep! Just thinking about her makes us YAWN and yearn for sweet slumber in a cozy bed.

She arrives in the moment juuust before we sleep, carrying a bucket full of dreams that she pours on our eyelids. And our eyes close, voice slurs, bodies relax, and we begin to breathe rhythmically zzz… She is very tiny, soft, light, and feathery. Her presence is as soothing as cold breeze during hot summertime.

She is somewhat like tooth fairy but very, very shy. No one has seen her; some kids have tried but they could not. She does not like being seen, I believe.

This is the story of the night when Nidra Devi fell asleep, herself.  Wait, what, how??? Well, that night was different. Something strange had happened. It was not normal. People were tossing and turning in their beds. Even animals and birds were awake. And magical creatures like fairies, hobbits, elves wondered – Where was Nidra Devi?

Well, our dear Nidra Devi had an accident. That evening, when she was flying down from the sky, her tiny wings flapped in the strong wind and she accidentally toppled the dream bucket over herself.

Some of the dreams went into her eyes, and in her drowsy state she landed on Earth. Nearby, there was a dark underground cave and she was so sleepy that she went inside to sleep.

Meanwhile, every being on the Earth was awake. Animals howled, birds chirped, babies wailed, kids cried, and grownups were cranky without sleep. It was a terrible night. But the second night was even worst because Nidra Devi kept sleeping.

Life became terrible after that.  There were no lullabies for babies, no sweet dreams for children and no relaxation for anyone. Tired people began to walk like zombies.  Everyone was worried but no sleep came. Unaware of the chaos in the world, Nidra Devi slept on for six days in that underground cave.

She saw scary dreams of hollow-eyed people and kids crying for comfort but just could not wake up. It seemed like too much dream liquid had gone into her eyes.

All the demi-gods were worried. How to wake up Nidra Devi? Who could reach that dark, underground cave quickly? Who would save the world?

On the seventh day, one Tiny Ray of Light, offered to wake up Nidra Devi and save the world. “You are small and insignificant, how will you wake her up,” the demi-gods laughed at him. “Oh, I can! I travel faster than anything else. And a ray of light can reach the darkest place and make a difference,” he said.

The demi-gods did not believe him but gave him a chance because really no one could travel as quickly as light.

So, the Tiny Ray of Light wore his brightest costume and emerged from the Sun. Piercing the darkest corners of the earth, and getting reflected from shiny surfaces, he found a crevice in the cave, where Nidra Devi slept.

He entered through the crevice like a little superhero, and at once, the dark cave lit up. Finally, Nidra Devi woke up with a start.

“Oh, I have been sleeping and the world is in chaos. Thank you for waking me up or else horrible things would have happened. You are a little super-hero! I will call you – Superhero Ray. You saved the world!” Nidra Devi said gratefully and flew out of the cave to do her duty. The demi-gods applauded, and everyone thanked the Tiny Ray of Light.

That night, tired and gloomy people of the Earth became hopeful again. Nidra Devi worked extra hard to pour sweet dreams on everyone. With big yawns, slurring voices and heavy bodies, people went to bed early. Everyone slept very peacefully after seven days of chaos. And Nidra Devi created funny dream-videos of Superhero Ray, especially for kids.

And the Tiny Ray of Light felt proud of himself. He never knew he could make that BIG a difference! He became famous as Superhero Ray because he had illuminated the world!

(Images based on drawings by Adiraj Singh.)

Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation for Kids

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Quotes19 Comments

Today I came to know that there are two kinds of motivation for kids – Intrinsic and Extrinsic. As I read more I learnt why intrinsic motivation is far more superior to inspire kids and have a life long impact. Although extrinsic motivation is occasionally important too. The subsequent quotes will help you understand the difference.

And I loved this last one below that tells us how to encourage our children to be intrinsically motivated. Hope you will find these quotes as important as I find them. Good luck to you, dear parent!

Images courtesy Google

Small Things#22 – GHEE MAN!

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani5 Comments

‘Ghee Man’ is a brand new superhero conceptualized and created by my third grader and kindergartener. And the tag line goes – Ghee Man and the masters of the food-verse.

Fun Facts About the Desi Ghee Man

  1. He is from Ghee planet.

  2. He saves the world by throwing sticky ghee on bad guys.

  3. His ghee rockets make him fly ( like Ironman).

  4. He has muscles 50 ft high because of Ghee power.

  5. He likes to visit and travel to Ghee-verse.

  6. His favorite channel is Ghee18.

  7. His favorite activity is coloring with yellow – Ghee color

(Ghee means clarified butter in Hindi and is regularly used in South Asian cooking.)

This morning, the kids got the idea while eating ‘Aloo Parathas’ cooked in Ghee. They even quickly made their own versions of the mighty Ghee Man. The one above is by older one and this one is by little brother.

The idea of this desi Ghee Man by the kids is quite funny and appealing. It also made me a little nostalgic about the summer holidays coming to an end. I’ll miss their sparkling ideas, fun moments, hugs and the kisses.

My little one would start formal schooling and one important chapter in the life of this SAHM (stay at home mom) will close. Taking care of school going kids is one thing but having small children to care for day and night is quite another. I had the good fortune of enjoying it to the core, of course, with all its challenges and demands. I will miss that!

Well, excuse my ramblings… and I really do hope you liked knowing about the new superhero – the glorious Ghee Man!

Small Things#21 – If the Earth was a Rubik’s cube…

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani6 Comments

The older brother’s passion for solving a Rubik’s cube has fired the imagination of my five-year-old, lately. He has been trying to imitate the moves of big brother to solve the famous puzzle. “What if the Earth was a Rubik’s cube?” I asked him.

The answer was chatty, funny and thoughtful – “If the Earth was a Rubik’s cube, it would need to be more colorful. The yellow side would be India because it has sand. The white side would be the US because of snow. Orange and red sides would be Australia because many years ago, forest people used red-hot fire to cook there and green side would be Africa because of grasses. The blue side has to be waterfalls…”

Puzzling logic, it got me thinking! what would you say to that…?

(Image – Google)

Small Things#20 – Treasures on Mother’s Day

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani23 Comments

Little gestures of love – a word here, a kiss there, laborious touch of paint, wonderful whiff of dandelion’s scent, naughty feet imprint, moving words in print, small arms around my neck, sweet and lovely cheek peck, heart lit in a blue bottle, everything so vibrant and yet so subtle…

…These are my incredible, cherished treasures this Mother’s day, created by my kids! I am sure you are making memories too if you are or have a mom. Both ways, a big and happy Mother’s Day❤️

Small Things#19 – Mona Lisa through a Kid’s Eyes

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General8 Comments

The art room in my kids’ school has a Mona Lisa painting. The little one especially has great interest in the famous lady as he feels that her eyes moves around. So, a little conversation took place between us to decode Mona Lisa and here is what the four-year-old thinks of the painting.

Me – Is Mona Lisa happy or sad in the painting?

LO – She is creepy… no… wait, creepy-smiley. She is happy but looks creepy too. She is not sad at all.

Me – What do you think is her age?

LO – She is 56 year old grown up.

Me – What is the best part of her face.

LO – Her lips! It’s just a line. And her eyebrows are down touching her eyes. She is always staring but if there is a staring contest, I will win.

Me – What else?

LO – She is wearing black and has a dupatta (veil) and her skin is yellow. See, mine is tan. She is standing by a mountain.

Me – What is she thinking about?

LO – She is thinking of herself.

Me (showing the painting of Mona Lisa on phone) – Do you want her painting in your room?

LO – (Runs away) She is creepy…nooooooo!

Images courtesy Google

Small Things#18 – Here is why Buddha carried light on his head!

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani17 Comments

After observing this painting of the Buddha, which I had painted in 2014, the Little One asked – Do you know why Gautam Buddha carried light around his head? I shrugged and asked – Do you know?

“Ah, yes! He carried light on his head to see better at night while walking. And also because, this was his style,” he answered expertly. The answer left me in splits. What perspective!

Small Things#17 – Dealing with the Momo Scare!

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani15 Comments

A few days back, I heard the older one’s friend talking about the Momo scare. It seemed that kids were talking about it in school. Later, my sister sent us a creepy video, showing how the Momo challenge messes around with young kids by popping up in between a popular cartoon series. While, the video was dismissed as a hoax but it correctly showed how evil, sick people could entice vulnerable kids and push them into doing dangerous things. To tell you the truth, even I was freaked out by Momo until an idea struck me!

Generally, parents would like to avoid talking about such challenges and it is okay. Less is always good. But in case, your kids know about it through friends or in school, what do you do? You find out a way to make them stay unaffected! What I did was I clowned around like Momo and made faces. After initial wonder, my kids burst into laughter. I established that Momo was insignificant in every way possible (actually poor Momo was just a sculpture by some Japanese artist). You could punch it and it will cry and run away. I took away the power of Momo to scare my kids.

BUT! I told them this was the second way of dealing with scare. First rule was to remember the instructions (updated version) by Mahatma Gandhi’s three wise monkeys – do not chat with strangers on the internet, do not watch bad things on the internet, do not listen to bad things on the internet.

With great power of the internet comes great responsibility for parents. Evil is right there on mobile phones, iPad and TV. We are now a part of the world wide web, we can’t break free but what we can do is to be watchful and alert when kids are using the devices.

How would you deal with such dangerous challenges?

Image courtesy Google

Small Things#16 – Little Known Dog Facts

On By ShivangiIn Blogs in General, Kids Kahaani12 Comments

Me – What’s the best thing about a dog?

Little One – He can eat by himself. The mom doesn’t feed him.

Me – Well, okay and not-so-good-thing?

Little One – He just stands on a treadmill, doesn’t run…and gets pushed out.

Me – That’s funny…tell me more…

Little One – They come in black, white and brown colors but if you are making art, you can paint them green, blue or red.

Me – How are you going to take care of dogs?

Little One – They only have legs. I’ll make robotic hands for them to grab things and do stuff…

Me – Okay, anything else…

Little One – (Thinks) Wait…it’s weird, sometimes they run after their own tails.

Me – Well, too much information to digest…thank you😀

(Image courtesy Google)