This piece has been written by Miss Sylvia Joseph and the pictures are by Miss Ekta Maniyar (homeroom teachers K-2 Torto Ahmedabad). Once upon a time, not very long ago a peahen laid an egg near the window of the K-2 Torto classroom. Little did she know that this would soon lead to a moment…
The Gift of a Sustainable Life
A mother shares her experience of introducing her son to a sustainable lifestyle on his birthday.
Making Time Stand Still: A How-To Guide
Our events coordinator – Miss Naini Naik – is a curious cat interested in everything! She is a type A interested in academics and work-outs alike. Since her work ethic and habits are often a source of inspiration for us, we decided to share a unique practice of hers with you as well. Find out…
Preparing Children for Playschool
Hello, It’s Gym again! Today, I would like to applaud the parents who come with their toddlers to school. It’s always fun to see them try to keep up with their child’s energy levels. Having parents around ensures that the child has a fun time learning. And boy, do the kids love their parents’ company….
Read-alouds: How 20 Minutes Everyday Can Change Your Child’s Life Forever
What were the defining moments of your childhood? Think back, and sift through your memories. I’m betting that some memories still feel fresh, and are so powerful that they have been inscribed in your mind forever. As a language and literacy curriculum designer, it’s no surprise that some of my most meaningful memories centre around…
Making Learning Visible
Confucius, the Chinese philosopher rightly said, “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand”. True to this adage, children have great visual memory and prefer learning by getting involved. This helps them in making better connections. Therefore as a facilitator, I firmly believe in making learning visible and…
An Inquiry into Materials – Behind the Scenes
We went behind the scenes and met our show-runner to understand how the last unit – ‘Materials Help Us Build and Create’ was explored by our children. Miss Neha – the academic coordinator for K1 at Toddler’s Den Ahmedabad sat down with us to take us on a journey of the inquiry. Hello Ma’am,…
The World is Our Canvas – Celebrating Creative Freedom in Early Years
From a hand-crafted enchanted forest to a room inspired by the likes of Monet, Raza, Mondrian and more; from painting with natural materials like twigs, stones and leaves to building 3D sculptures, crafting mosaics, and weaving; from open-ended messy art to elaborate canvas painting, Tod Canvas – the annual art festival of Toddler’s Den was…
The Right to Imagine: How We Create Inspiring Spaces
“A little too intelligent for his age, six-year-old with spiky blonde hair and not much of a filter between his brain and his mouth, always found with a stuffed tiger as his co-conspirator.” No prizes for guessing the characters I am describing here, undoubtedly the epitome of childhood, the incomparable Calvin & Hobbes, protagonists of…
When K-1 Turned Into Event Planners
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose” – Dr. Seuss Event planning as an assignment can be both exciting and challenging. It holds innumerable opportunities to learn how to work with others, get organised, communicate effectively and take ownership and initiative. This…