Dolphin POD

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After School Activities for Kids

New age parents are looking for interesting ways to keep their kids entertained and creatively occupied after school hours. It is difficult to restrain ebullient and hyperactive youngsters other than keeping them involved in something fun and stimulating. Many parents think about how chaotic and daunting it will be having their kids home for a few days knowing they can never sit still or go to bed when they want them to. So instead of burning their steam trying to keep them under control or running after them the whole day, it will be more worthwhile engaging them in some after school activities for kids.

There are many after school activities for kids which one can have an inclination and which involves fun and learning activities with no expenses attached to them. Above all it can even include the parent to have a better bonding.

Here are some ways to keep kids active, entertained and out of trouble:

1) The Leaf Hunt:

This is an amazing after school activity for kids and can be played by kids from ages 5-12. Parents should pick an outdoor area like a park or a garden where they are comfortable sending the kids. After that they should leave the kids indoors while they secretly go and pick leaves from different plants/trees/bushes. The kids should be handed a container with these leaves and let them loose in the green area. The idea is for them to match the leaves they are carrying with those growing on the leaves/plants. They can be given information about the name of the plant or the tree and much more as they can absorb.

2) Travel Alphabet:

This game can be played by children of all ages travelling by car, especially on long trips. They should be asked to run through the alphabet from A to Z by asking them to spot the letters, in sequence on the number plates of other cars travelling on the road. When they are done with the alphabet it can be switched to numbers. Next, the kids can try spotting objects or cars in different colors. So an after school activity for kids that teaches them alphabets, numbers and colors at the same time.

3) Scavenger Hunt:

The children should be given a big box and sent off on a scavenger hunt outdoors. They should be given a time limit and allowed to compete against each other. They can be asked to collect in the box any item s they can find starting with letters of the alphabet. All letters of the alphabet must be covered. The kids can play this in teams with their friends.

4) Bull’s eye:

A couple of sponges or bottle caps and some chalk are all that are needed to turn a reasonably large outdoor area into a target practice zone. A big circle should be drawn with the chalk with smaller circles inside and children should try and hit the center target with the sponge.

5) Indoor Bowling Track:

A very addictive indoor bowling game can be made using a wooden board or flattened cardboard box laid out on a flat surface. Pencil erasers or flat crayon stubs can be used for bowling pins and marbles as the bowling ball. Kids can keep score and have fun!

So which of these after school activity for kids are you trying today?

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Learning Activities for Kids

Kids are much more energetic than we can imagine. Unless they are drained out of their energy, children show no sign to of stopping their excitement. In most of the cases, parents aren’t a match for the energy level of the kids and they end up making them indulge in a gadget or television. But in this way the child’s urge to know and explore comes to a stop and he simply starts to get addicted to the techy way of modern life. The untamed energy of the child starts oozing away and by the time the parents would realize, kids start denying indulgence in any kind of positive activity that is appropriate of their age! Therefore it is of utmost importance to have some interesting learning activities for kids in their daily routine.

These days almost all the playschools and preschools follow the model a non-competitive learning environment for kids. So the playschools provide a several learning activities for kids so that children would start taking interest in studies rather than fearing it. Like schools, at home also some engaging learning activities for kids can be arranged so that their energy can be channelized in a positive manner.

Learning activities are necessary as they help develop the child’s creativity, imagination, thinking skills and social skills. As discussed earlier, learning activities can be arranged at home also. There are certain categories in which the activities can be divided like: activities by grade, activities by age, activities by subject and activities by topics. Learning activities are best to begin with toddlers. There are alphabet activities, numerical activities, story- telling activities, word making activities, play dough activities, craft making activities. These activities make learning as enjoyable as possible. From being a great way to pass time, to being useful in learning new skills, to sharpening existing skills, these educational activities have many advantages.

As you are a parent, you are not going to compromise on the quality education that you aspire for your kid. Dolphin Pod is the one that guarantees the making of your child’s future. Dolphin Pod ensures that your kids learn a 21st century skill that gives in turn long term success, achievement, health, happiness, and self-motivation, while insisting confidence in his/her own own capabilities.

Dolphin Pod has got 4 different age groups for different learning activities based on the age. The playschool offers an incredible POD (Play, Others and Downtime) session of 90 minutes. Each session contains The Play Room, The Others Room and the Downtime Room. In the Play Room, kids get to freely explore and express diverse leadership skills, decision making skills, interaction skills in a fun, interactive and play-oriented way. This is the base of introducing a child to learning activities where he doesn’t feel that he is studying at all! Next comes the Others Room where the Pod session begins. This room’s session provides the mental stimulation that every kid needs and the session develops in every kid Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Community and Contribution.  Each session ends with the Downtime Room where each kid relaxes and takes a mental break necessary to increase their productivity, attention, brain power and creativity.

Dolphin Pod is the one where learning activities for kids has a proper scientific approach!

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Preschool in Delhi

Preschooling is not a luxury anymore. It is now considered the very foundation of a child’s learning journey. This is why it is important that parents find schools that will cater to all the holistic needs of children. Tiny tots need a place where they can learn new things and have fun at the same time. Preschools have cropped up everywhere, especially in metro cities like Delhi where parents and kids are spoilt for choice. All these options can get overwhelming which makes the selection process all the more difficult for parents. The curriculum, facilities and personal attention paid to the kids all play an important role in determining the best from the rest.

Here are some of the top

preschools in Delhi

:1)    Dolphin Pod

Located in the heart of Vasant Kunj, Dolphin Pod is a world-class achievement center that provides a fun and interactive learning environment for kids. The school utilizes the latest neuro-scientific methods laid down by child development experts to guide the children. The school focuses on the qualities of Innovation, Leadership and Wellness and inculcates them in the kids through a wide range of unique games, activities and relaxation techniques. The school boasts of a modern and well-equipped campus with sufficient playing space for the kids.

2)    Step by Step

The school focuses on nurturing the social, emotional and spiritual development of children. Admission is offered for kids between the ages of 2 and 5 and active parental involvement is encouraged. The school has a learning center designed to cater to the needs of special children with a team of qualified professionals. A wooden building hosts the classrooms and activity centers.

3)    Aadyant

The school offers admission for children between the ages of 1 and 6. The facilities include a skating rink, splash pool, indoor play area and a huge airy library. Coaching for sports like skating is given under the guidance of an expert. The school conducts field trips, outdoor education and community participation.

4)    Petals

The school offers a natural and holistic thriving environment for kids. Facilities include a large auditorium, mini zoo, gymnasium and modern dance room. The play area has equipment that includes a trampoline, ball pool, splash pool, swings and more. Safe transportation and medical facilities are ensured for the safety of the children. The curriculum is based on moral ideologies and practical knowledge.

5)    Little Millenium

The preschool integrates a multi-sensory approach to learning. The school aims at enhancing the children’s inherent abilities by encouraging the complete growth of mind, body and spirit. Fun-filled, knowledgeable and entertaining activities develop their overall skills. The children are taught elements of excitement, joy, good values and health.

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Counselling for Kids

The growing age for children needs enough care and counselling. While to us adults the problem may seem simple, for kids it could be traumatic. Even a small incident can cause a ripple of problems when they grow up and hence it is important that the child is spoken with by experts. Counselling is vital especially for children with a troubled childhood, a loss of a dear one, family issues, experience of any unfortunate scenarios, mental illnesses, someone bullying them in school or near home or simply adjustment issues at a new home or city.

The problem that child counsellors face is that the children are too young to understand what they are going through. They cannot understand big words like anxiety or grief. Hence the main objective of child counselling is to break down such problems and help them make sense of what is going on.

The 1st step is to understand when your child needs counselling -

There are symptoms by which you can assess if your child is in need of therapy. For instance, if your child is sad most of the time or the child tends to shout in anger or show signs of aggression, then they are in need of counselling. Some more examples would be if the child tends to look in the mirror often and criticize their own appearance or have an inability to think, sit still or show behavioural patterns of violence.

If your child shows one or many of these symptoms, they might be in need of counselling.

There are a few therapeutic techniques which counsellors follow to assess the child:

1.    The feeling word game

The game’s objective is to make the children talk about how they feel. The reason it is a game is so that the child will not get very defensive if they know that they are just playing. The game starts out with the counsellor asking the child to list out the feelings faced by the child. Then the counsellor will narrate a story about each of the feelings listed and ask the child their opinion on how they would feel under each circumstance.

2.    Colour your life

The game starts with the therapist asking the child to associate each emotion with a colour. For example, being angry is red. Then after assigning the colours, the counsellor must ask the child to use the colours that they feel represents their emotions throughout their life. The objective is to understand how they feel.

3.    The mad game

The game is a way to understand why the child is angry or against a particular incident which may cause emotional turmoil in the child. The game starts out with the counsellor placing blocks on top of each other while they express what they are angry about. In the end, the counsellor must ask the child to knock all the blocks down by imagining the thing that makes them very angry.

Learn more about these techniques at DolphinPod, a child development center in Delhi.

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Preschools in Delhi

Preschooling plays a pivotal role in child’s development. It is especially important in preparing your child emotionally, mentally, socially and physically for primary education. Over the past few years, pre-schooling has become a necessity for securing seats in the top primary schools. There are many pre-schools that claim to be the best, but there are only a select few that live up to the claim. A good pre-school will stress intensively on the initial learning aspects of a child and inculcate in them basic skills and qualities which will make them school-ready. Finding a pre-school like that will surely not be an easy task. If you are in search of a similar pre-school in Delhi for your child then you have come to the right place.

Here are a few worthy options to help speed up the process:

1)    The Magic Years

The school prides itself in its Montessori teaching methodology. The student-teacher ratio is 1:4 with admission for children between 2 to 6 years of age. Nutritious lunch and beverages are offered to the kids, and active parent involvement is encouraged. The facilities on offer include child-friendly furniture, outdoor area and sports equipment.

2)    Dolphin POD

Dolphin POD delivers a rich learning experience to children, with the aim of making them future-ready. The playschool is supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure, ensuring your child receives nothing but the best. It nurtures the leader in your child to direct him/her towards the right path. At Dolphin POD, children learn through play. They explore arts, drama, movement puzzles, music and gadgets, all of which are facilitated by technology, which encourages imagination, innovation, creativity and critical thinking.

3)    Step by Step

The school offers admission for children between 1.6 and 4.5 years of age. The school has a Learning Center designed to cater to the needs of special children with a team of qualified professionals. The activity center comprises a doll house, a music room, a large garden and a swimming pool.

4)    Kangaroo Kids

This pre-school has a teaching methodology based on Play way, which focusses on active and experiential learning. The various facilities include big and spacious classrooms, outside play area with a squash pool and an AV room. Transportation facilities are also provided.

5)    Aadyant

The school offers admission for kids between the ages of 1 and 6. At Aadyant, activity-based learning techniques are focused upon. The facilities on offer include a skating rink, a splash pool, an indoor playing area, a huge library and a science lab. Coaching for skating is provided to children above the age of 3, under the guidance of an expert. Regular field trips are conducted, and outdoor participation is encouraged.

6)    Kidzee

The school is a pioneer in  Early Childhood Care and Education in India. The teachers are trained in useful and practical techniques. Every child is endowed with their pedagogy, iLLUME that helps them find their own unique learning style. The school also provides publications and other learning books.

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Personality Development in Kids

Personality development in Kids is the evolution of a child’s behavior, attitude and attributes by the character, temperament and environment that makes them a unique person.

Educational institutions and parents alike have focused primarily on increasing the knowledge and intellectual quotient (IQ) of their children however researchers and child development organizations today clearly state that a child’s emotional quotient (EQ) and personality development are of equal importance.

Personality development paves the way for a child’s self-confidence, helps shaping his own judgement, removing self-doubt, respecting cultural diversity, being polite, humble as well as assertive, non-gullible, generous,and to be able to think and function independently.

Some activities that can be taught in schools to help personality development in kids

Sports : Engaging a child in sports and outdoor activities is one of the simplest ways to help a child develop attributes such as team spirit, resilience, decision making, learning to settle conflicts, how to work in a group and how to stand for themselves.

Story telling : Reading out stories to children helps them develop their imagination. Also teaching them how to tell stories in an interesting way, with and without props helps them in building on their social and interpersonal skills.

 Social Manners : Educating children on how to greet people, wearing a smile on their face while introducing themselves, how to behave with a guest or a host,eating and dining etiquette, assists in building their social interactions.

 Public speaking : From introducing oneself and talking about their likes and hobbies, speaking on a topic, reciting a poem, participating in debates and group discussions on topics help children overcome stage fright and improve their confidence levels. Other activities include school essay reading and news reading in-front of the class, teaching a child how to crack a joke around friends or in a birthday party.

Parents role

Parents play an important role in shaping a child’s personality. Children look at their parents and copy them in their behavior, attitude and way of dealing with challenges in their daily lives. Hence parents need to be alert about what they do in presence of their children.

Some tips for parents

Be a good listener : Child crave for attention all the time during their early years. When parents patiently listen to their stories, they develop a sense of confidence and security and in-turn helps them become good listeners.

Limit the gadget time : Spending too much time playing games on gadgets and watching too much TV can lead to addiction and reduce social interactions. Spending more time playing board and outdoor games and travelling with children will teach them to value their surroundings and people and have more real life experiences.

Set example by own behavior : Children tend to do what they see more than what they hear. It is therefore important that parents themselves lead by example from arranging books in a shelf and being polite to a guest or a house-help to dealing with stressful situations, practically showing them things will leave a lasting impression. Also encourage independence by teaching kids to slowly handle simple responsibilities.

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Emotional development in early childhood

Missing childhood days is very common in grown up. Childhood is no doubt a simple, free flowing phase of life without having any worry about anything. However that is from our perspective as grown-ups. For a child small changes are too big to cope up with. Everything is new in every phase of their lives – schools, daycare, extra activity classes, friends, and even relatives. While we are sure they will adjust to a new environment, what they go through cannot be easily understood by us adults.Hence an emotional development in early childhood is a very essential.

Emotions in children and the Adults role in managing them

Younger children develop primary emotions like joy, sadness, anger and fear. By the age of 3, children start developing their categorical self-i.e. they define things opposites or in terms of ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Here comes the role of an adult who makes the child learn recognize, understand and express their feelings.And to make this happen it is the responsibility of the adults and the caregivers to promote a happy, calm, safe and positive atmosphere to children. Children should be rest assured that they have somebody to listen to them when they feel overwhelmed.To support children in their thoughts while letting them grow freely however slowly molding and directing them to the right behavior and act is emotional development.

Importance of Emotional Development

Children who are given lots of encouragement in the early childhood are most likely to develop a higher self-esteem. They will grow up becoming generally optimistic in most of the life’s challenging situations. There lies the importance of emotional development in early childhood.

Emotional Reflection to manage Emotional Development!

When an adult recognizes the emotions the child may be experiencing and reflects them back with naming those emotions or matching the voice or body language is called “Emotional Reflection”. This helps children to a great extent in developing their emotions. In this process the care givers observe how children express their emotions both positive and less positive and the children, in turn, feel observed and acknowledged and understand that it is ok to express both positive and less positive feelings. Moreover, when adults reflects children’s appearance as whether they ‘look sad’ or ‘seem excited’, children get into the practice of using words to express their emotions. In this practice care givers become better at reflecting children’s emotions and children also feel capable and valued which results in developing a sense of self in them.

Emotional Development is nothing but self –regulation

Children’s feeling can be often found to be too intense. They can switch over to different moods in no time can be taken over by feelings. Here again, the adults and caregivers, with their love and support, can make children learn to regulatetheir feelings and emotions as per the situation. Most importantly, children learn to regulate emotions by witnessing adult’s self-regulation.

‘Dolphin Pod’ works relentlessly on the emotional development of children and ensures emotional wellness through numerous activities and programs. Here is the list of these programs.