Let your kids soak in the best of folk art, theatre, tales, dance and food at this cultural fiesta
Kids and their parents at a previous event
Long before nursery rhymes on YouTube became commonplace, this writer’s childhood storytime was peppered with Indian folk tales featuring talkative turtles, crafty cranes and vicious rakshasas, who always had a witty lesson or two up their sleeves. Summer vacations were dedicated to ludo contests, and regional folk music was the first pick for cultural performances. “Gone are the days when children spent their entire holidays playing simple traditional games and listening to folk tales,” points out Divya Balan, head-marketing, Founding Years Learning Solutions Pvt Ltd. In today’s age, when children are exposed to different international cultures, it is imperative for them to have a deeper understanding of their own country and state’s traditions, which can help them connect with their roots, she adds. Little Folk Festival, an initiative by KLAY Preschools and Daycare, aims to immerse young ones in all things folk.
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The multi-city festival, which will take place in Lower Parel and Kalina next, welcomes two-to-10-year-olds to enjoy the simple pleasures of life — whether it is making traditional food like sev puri, or trying their hand at ancient folk games, or learning age-old forms of art. The festival, now in its third edition, will introduce young minds to the folk culture of their region. “The festival’s itinerary is packed with lots of age-appropriate and region-appropriate folk-based cultural activities, ranging from folk music to folk dance like bhangra and kolattam, to folk story time and folk food,” Balan informs us.
In Mumbai, kids will get to hear folk tales including The Mouse’s Share, The Magic Ring and The Bearded Fool, and learn about art forms like Warli and Chitrakathi. Ludo and snakes-and-ladder will entice game-lovers, while sev puri, kokum sharbat and dry bhel are among the delicacies that the little foodies can indulge in. For the edition at Kalina and Lower Parel, the organisers have tied up with theatre person Savitri Medhatul and her team of lavani dancers who will introduce children to rural Maharashtra’s folk dance and music traditions, reveals Balan.
“We have also tied up with the Kathalaya International Academy of Storytelling who will transport children into the world of folk stories. There is something for everyone. We want our children to experience it all as they join us for a day of fun and learning, where the beauty of folk culture and traditions come alive and where memories are made,” she signs off.
On: February 25; 10.30 am to 12.30 pm
At; KLAY Preschools and Daycare, first floor, Manek Plaza, CST Road, Kolivery Village, Kalina; One WorldCentre, 841, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Call: 7676708888
Log on to: klayschools.com/little-folk-festival to register
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