Kids like it dad way

Parents and children enjoy one of the activities at a past edition of the festival

This one is for the busy dads in Mumbai. When was the last time you switched off your phone and spent quality time with your child, and not just at the mall?

In a city starved for both time and children-oriented spaces, parents are often at a loss of how they can spend more time with their kids outdoors, introducing them to art and culture. This was the struggle that inspired the Dad-Child Festival, an annual event now in its sixth season, dedicated to providing a space where parents (mums are welcome, too) can truly let their hair down and get their hands dirty while playing with their kids.

Soaked in culture

This year, one of the highlights at the Kerala-themed festival will be cultural performances, such as a Kathakali enactment of the mythological tale of Damayanthi, as well as a Mohiniyattam performance. Both performances will be decoded - through storytelling and dance workshops - so the children can understand it better. "There will also be a Chenda drum performance, and parents and children will be encouraged to form a dance circle around it," says Oindrila Purohit, who along with her partners Veena Manoj and Pratiksha Seth, runs Grooming Babies Global Pvt Ltd and organises the festival every year.

The game is on

The event will be heavy on both culture as well as arts and crafts, with workshops on making Kathakali masks, mirror-making and coconut shell crafts. "But what I'm most excited about is seeing all the corporate dads get out of their blazers and into shorts as they chase their kids. It's a beautiful thing to watch grown-ups turn into children, says Manoj. There will be plenty of bonding exercises and games, from a simulated boat race, to traditional board games from Kerala to a blind trust walk where parents will be blindfolded and led by their kids. "We often ask our kids to trust us to lead them, this is a chance to return that faith," says Purohit. Families will have the option of choosing the activities they want to participate in. The only word of caution from the organisers is: "Dress for the mess i.e. comfortably."

On: April 14, 4 pm to 8 pm
At: NCPA, Nariman Point.
Call: 66223737
Cost: Rs 300 (per head for entry); Rs 100 to Rs 250 (for workshops)

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