My 4-and-a-half year
old son Sabeeh is constantly talking about this “white tiger”, along with his
sister and cousins who had accompanied him at the mini zoo (…ok, a micro-zoo)
somewhere in Nazimabad, Karachi.
But there is
something about this white-tiger that the kids are not easily forgetting! I
looked it up and found that this white-tiger is usually smaller in size than the
original tigers that Sabeeh has seen on documentaries before, he has also seen
other animals… doing things that are very exciting for kids to remember and
they’d talk about it for at least a day or two… and then forget about it.There
was a moment when…t hey were all standing by its cage…and turned their back
towards the cage for a moment and it tried to… either attack or just jump on the
grill and some of kids had a mixed feeling of fear and excitement along with a
chorus of screams and laughter, they really loved it!
May be its THIS particular event that they are not letting it go. “Baba… uss nay AISAY jump kiaa… aur wo… AISAY bhag raa thaa!”…You know how 4 year olds like to do the…s how and tell… the exciting tone with almost ALL body parts giving their share of gestures!
It made me wonder why
this experience has so much impact compared to the very interesting
documentaries they had been watching. Why this event is SO… interesting to
remember when so many times in so many documentaries… so many animals have jumped
on the camera… have done amazing things that a child doesn’t easily forget!
A discussion with
some friends… experts of communications, school teachers made me conclude that
it’s basically the effect that a REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE leaves at a person, the
combined impact of all the 5 senses (or at least 4 in this case, as the children
didn’t ‘taste’ anything at the mini-zoo :]) and the deductive ideas generated by
input given by these 5 senses within that situation leaves an impression that is
incomparable to that of a documentary by even the best multimedia system
today.
The urban lifestyle
today have kept us away from some of the real life experiences and I am now
looking for ways for kids to learn from real life…also, because I realize its
actually EASY, and because its…well…REAL.
A small experiment to
work on children’s vocabulary using a door, yes… a door! In my house proved to be
pretty successful…I just took them to one of the doors in the house and showed
them the “handle”, “lock”, “frame” and kind of made up a small story to keep
using all the vocabulary about the parts of the door and it was pretty easy for
Sabeeh and his Sister to later recall these things ... I’d say…I didn’t have to do
practically ANY effort to make them remember it!
I’m now planning to
take the kids to a relative’s house at the “University of Karachi” that happens
to have some trees…well…whatever’s left of it after expansion of
different cemented structures, some small gardens (in fact I have heard a great
deal of a garden near the Botany department…obviously!) where…I’m thinking of
trying to teach Sabeeh and his sister “colors” in different plants and their
flowers, work on their “vocabulary” by SHOWING them the things they read
about.
I’d like to know what
the experienced home-scholars have to say about this to a newbie, anything and
everything that may add value…?
wassalamalikum
Umair
I looked it up and found that this white-tiger is usually smaller in size than the original tigers that Sabeeh has seen on documentaries before,
ReplyDeleteI am impressed the way, you have have shared your personal experience of your baby! Its made me learn many things to do for my own babies to come :)
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas and real life experiences!
ReplyDeleteAoa, my daughter is 27 months old and i am thinking about home schooling her. I feel it is going to be much better for her, but am not sure if i will be able to give her enough time. How much time do u give your children, and how do u manage?
ReplyDelete