24 March,2025 09:24 AM IST | Mumbai | Devashish Kamble
Participants work on the chassis
Forall the sympathy that the COVID-19 lockdown-era students receive, let's spare a moment for the parents. Remember when every ed-tech company was hell-bent on convincing parents that an online tech course was their child's golden ticket to a six-figure job? With both those pandemics fortunately behind us, it's refreshing to hear that a city-based platform is promising to make none of these promises. "We've been looking at technical skills through the wrong lens. They're perfect summer hobbies that can easily be fun," says Bhavna Jhunjhunwala, who will lead beginner's robotics workshops in Mulund this week.
An electric car. Pics Courtesy/Bhavna Jhunjhunwala
Assembling robotic arms is not exactly how this writer remembers spending their summer holidays. Is it a sign of changing times, we ask the engineer-turned-entrepreneur. "That is a concern that many parents have echoed. But I can assure you that it's never too early to teach children about concepts like sensors, velocity, circuits, and more. It creates a solid base that helps nurture a healthy passion for science," she explains.
ALSO READ
The five-day camp will introduce participants to the hardware aspect of their favourite household machines through engaging stories and child-friendly components. "We host a segment about building an electric cart by breaking down the basics of locomotion and acceleration. The session begins with a relatable story about a person who is having a lazy day and wants to send a cart to the grocery shop to fetch vegetables. When you have a strong hook, children listen," she reveals. While Jhunjunwala recommends catching all five sessions, participants may register for individual sessions.
A completed helicopter model from a previous session (right) participants build a sensor-based smart dustbin
One of the introductory sessions lays out the working of a portable table fan. If you checked your weather app this morning, we don't need to tell you what the hook here is. "The fan is such a common household item that we never stop to ask how it works. But a child's curious mind does; it questions everything," she adds. From flow of current to electromagnetism to rotatory motion, Jhunjunwala and her team of educators will answer any and every question that pops up while assembling the blocks and circuits.
An automatic Japanese fan model
Once the electric cars and fans and helicopters are up and running, the educator will turn to another technology buzzword that needs a relook. Jhunjunwala founded Code W/Floppy in 2019 to simplify coding for children. "Scratch, a block coding platform that gamifies the process, is a great tool to explain coding to beginners across age groups. The best part about coding is that it constantly challenges you to find a better solution to the same problem. These values equip the child with the determination to deal with real-life problems later," she explains.
As with any ambitious hobby, we had to ask the founder, are children really excited about this or are the parents more eager to add another feather in their cap? "It's the children, in fact, who are leading the way. I received a call from an excited mother of a participant yesterday. Her son had spotted an automatic door and explained how infrared sensors work to the family," Jhunjunwala reveals. Like we said, the workshops don't promise a cushy six-figure job, but we'd say priceless moments like these come pretty close.
ON March 24 to 28; 10.30 am onwards
AT Sachmaas Academy, Ecstasy Business Park, near Mulund Railway Station, Mulund West.
LOG ON TO @kidiaree.in on Instagram (to register)
ENTRY Revealed on request
