Cranes to the rescue!

Got this email from a friend of mine. I knew the timeline is approaching and I had to do something real quick. The flyers and brochures that awaits my pickup everyday on our doormat came to my rescue! Sending the cranes across...little acts go a long way :) 

Leaving the cause aside, they are such an entertainment for kutti "r" and I love how our plain walls are getting some quick color on them! And a pat on the back for recycling those flyers that lie untouched all over the lobby. 

Here's a quick picture of all the cranes I am sending to the store! 

     

And a maybe entry to this month's Artsy Craftsy?

From our evening walks!

The clouds were turning grey. The evening was closing upon us. The air got windy, the dust rose and came upon our faces. The honking of cars, drilling sound of construction next door, joyful sounds of kids got louder. Hurriedly I rolled the stroller on the gravel. As we approached the basement of our apartment...little kids in fleece jackets, colorful kiddie kick scooters, smell of rubber filled the basement turned playground.
One foot on the scooter floor, one foot in the air, the kids raced along with the wind, their little voices disturbing the passers by.

Round and round the kids raced with each other, ignoring a group of "little people" their sole visitors, who barely had anything on their body to wrap themselves in this weather. They raced. They watched. They raced. They tried to get a closer look. One kid from the block not older than five, stopped racing. She walked up to them and asked them to step out of the gate. The "little people" said no word and got behind the gate.
The wind got chilly...the basement got darker...the clouds became teary eyed...the racing continued...

Toy love!

I m an ardent lover of toys…The time spent in toy shops are definitely greater than the time I have spent on any kind of shopping…I enjoy reading reviews from parents, grandparents, uncles on different websites on the toys I want to buy

Many times after serious thought, I discard the idea of buying too many for the following reasons

• Kutti “r” is too small…its going to be awhile before his preferences develop
• The luxury of time to read reviews, search the web and identify the one for my lil baby as the months pass
• Space – we live in a rented apt and the lofts in one room are bulging out (Yes, I have inherited and accumulated enough kid stuff)
• Cost

I love libraries, old book shops and have a huge collection of children books already…but not all libraries carry toys. After being in the US for a good number of years, I have always liked the idea of libraries lending toys and I was happy to find a library in Bangalore that did the same.

I was happier when I came across “Bambaram” and this post is from the TOP Operating Officer who was a classmate in school.

Bambaram - India's First Multiple Intelligence Based Online Toy Rental Store

A brief note on Bambaram:
Bambaram is an Online Educational Toy Library based on the renowned Theory of Multiple Intelligences! Bambaram serves kids in the age range of 0 - 9 years. On becoming a member, one can rent Toys/Books/CDs every week for a nominal monthly subscription which starts from Rs 250 onwards. Bambaram serves parents working with various corporates/institutions in Chennai - Cavinkare, Mphasis, Polaris, Scope Eknowledge, Virtusa, Tech Mahindra - to name a few at their doorsteps (Home/Office). They also offer services to select schools, preschools & gated communities.

Origin & People Behind:
Bambaram was started by Santhosh & Parul. Santhosh is an IIT Kharagpur alumnus and has worked with ITES & Retail sectors before venturing into Bambaram with Parul. Parul is an XIMB alumnus and has handled various Sales & Marketing assignments with FMCG sector. She also holds a certification on MI from Multiple Intelligent Institute, Singapore. It was during one of Santhosh's stint with an NGO in upcountry Tamil Nadu, he realized the potential of Toys & Games as a tool for to make learning fun. Bambaram was born!

Why the name 'Bambaram'?

Being a north Indian, Parul found the words 'Bambaram' and 'Bommai' the easiest to pronounce in Tamil and had a close relation to what they intended to do. Finally it was Srishti, Parul's two year old, who picked up 'Bambaram' over 'Bommai'

Link to FAQ section - http://173.45.68.165/bambaram/index.php?c=staticpages&m=show_page&page=faq

And soon we'll have a section in this blog where fellow blogger moms are invited to participate. A toy review fun contest! Pick out the most popular toy from your child's collection and post a review on your blog and link it to our "Bommai review section". The reviews will reach Bambaram and if Bambaram picks a toy based on your review, the blogger will be rewarded. No rules here...Have fun and repeating Dr. Seuss, "It is fun to have fun But you have to Know how." – and it’s definitely OK to teach your kid how to have fun J

Holi Ramblings!

This happened a day after Holi!
Seeing bits of thermocol (polystyrene) strewn all over the apartment, I ask Anirudh who was immersed in the process of generating more work for the maid who cleans the common space...

Me - Why are you making the place dirty Anirudh?
Anirudh - Aunty, this is snow holi!
Me - "dumbstruck"