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Throughout the book the author talks about one common thread “letting them do their own way”. I liked when the author talks about beliefs and even common sense’ is defined by conditioning – hence it is no more common sense. It also deals with a prevalent parenting issue of food and feeding and realized that…

Caeser Must Die – an Italian Movie is about a production and performance of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar performed by inmates from the high-security wing at a prison. Men serving long sentences for murder, drug dealing etc dabble into theater. It is strong drama with very tight performance. Sometimes you get confused which is true and…

Hindi –Ankhon Dekhi– A common middle class man decides to explore new perspectives directedby Rajat Kapoor. The movie is slice of daily life and revolves around ‘bauji’. One event in his life changes his way of looking things and he decides to go deeper in his newly found philosophy of life ‘tobelieve only in what…

This summer play musical chair with your kids. Play with a twist ‘no one is out’, instead many people can sit on one chair … at the end when you have many people but one chair – experience the fun and may be a demand ‘lets play again’. I have played this many times and…

It began with one of the parent sharing her wish to do something for community. We planned to clean up Kelmanagalm railway station. After talk with the station master we understood various issues including missing dustbins. So we had the challenge to install a dustbin which has no resale value at the same time collects…

It began from nowhere. One of us started making a see saw and it became a project for some kids to get submerged in. They discussed endlessly, they worked hard, they took help, they planned, they imagined and they did it!!! They used concept of fulcrum to balance the beam, took help of Seenappa Anna…

They liked the feel of mud, the concept of building by self and playing with mud while building it. They worked in team, they worked with Seenppa uncle…they wanted to make more. Once again we tried opening our jammed car door..it was an opportunity to understand how doors in the car worked…many things which we…

She came from Bhuveneshwar this summer to experience open learning at Aarohi. She likes to read John Holt and believe in learning capability of child. She wants to have meaningful learning for her children. She stayed with her kids (2 and 7yrs old) for 10 days, she is avid trekkers and climbed every rock with…

This summer explore music at home with family – play different music and explore movements. SriVidya, who is art therapist joined us in sunshine. Amit who came with his daughter to experience Aarohi shared his love of ‘gratitude’ through music in sunshine. We danced closed eyes, we imagined to paint with different body parts with…

After rain, the rain water pond was full of water – we explored music in it :). Used plates, back of mopping stick, glass and our imagination. making water music

We began the week few more people joining to experience Aarohi. Each week is different in some ways, and same in some ways. Ponding, trekking, telescope, playing with dogs and rock climbing were popular this week too. Also explored masonry work…music was different this week with few more adults taking part in designing sunshine…we braided…

Trekking to nearby temple on the mountain was initially boring (climbing steps) but then it was challenging to climb rocks and even jumping 9 feet down 🙂 Explored how a sleeve is stitched … tailoring became fun with measurements and adding those extra inches for stitching from 3/8th to ¼ inches. Made musical instruments with…

Brushing was never so fun.

Reflecting at the end of the day was part of experiencing Aarohi. It began with simple reflection – reflect on the day with few words like ‘like, boring, crazy, new….’ Every day we added more complexity – like comparing our day with a tree and finding what was like fruit or leaf in our day.…

It began with a need to make energy efficient water heating system. Rocket oven was one of the choice. First was to experiment with hollow brick blocks….a day;s effort in experimenting with the same…ry .some more research, some more experimenting lead to making ot with bricks, Visit to brick factory to buy brick was bonus…

It was about ‘coconut’ – one could make food with it or make craft with the leaves or just simply climb coconut tree or just feel it. Some choose to make sword with it watching a video. Next day one of the child taught many more….made many more. Or it was teaching boomerang or shooting…

Various things to assemble, creates different learning opportunities. Kids choose to assemble from their imagination, they assemble to repair (food processor), they assembled what they dreamt (car), they assembled what they imagined (aeroplane), they assembled what they needed (tent), Assembled a leaking roof, Assembled a Jammed car door….

It was all about understanding campus through campus training. Safety training was about expectations from each member to take part in safety of self, others and resources. Water training was all about to know how the water come to campus and where it goes – what happens to greywater and blackwater, what makes water grey…

It was about painting on a canvas. We just put up a canvas with different types of color and asked to just paint, not only paint but play with paints. before one gets into techniques of painting, one needs to play to understand paints and various paints….age no bar. It was an experience they went…

Prabhat from Hyderabad Joined at campus to experience Aarohi in action. He Soon was part of leanirng community – doing, making, failing, expressing, participating, discussing, watering the trees….It was an experience he went through when he came to experience Aarohi.

Sameer from Pune joined at campus to experience Aarohi in action. In few hours he became part of the learning community doing, making, failing, expressing, participating, discussing, watering the trees….It was an experience he went through when they came to experience Aarohi.

It was hot, many wanted to get into water – we went to nearby pond and splashed with open heart…age no bar. Began with simple splashing, got into mud bath and mud play. It was an experience they went through when they came to experience Aarohi.

Morning all coming together and listening to music, playing with music, singing and dancing….It was an experience they went through when they came to experience Aarohi.

Kids spent three days making, wiring and installing LED bulbs (using cold drink cans) outside our community kitchen – it did not work!!! They tried, failed, sweat, discussed…..it was hot, it was tough, it was tiring…it was an experience they went through when they came to experience Aarohi.

The challenge was to land an egg safely when dropped from about 40ft (our rooftop) onto the concrete below. There were weights and size imits to the contraption – as well as limited budget. All came in team of 3-4, no age barrier – all worked as participants. Few eggs landed safely, some got cracked,…

Aalam joined to share about his novel that he has recently written. He shared his journey – writing, not writing, moments of boredom, editing, taking feedback, including illustrations, and finally publishing. He shared “I did leave in between, when the ideas would just not come in my mind and go back when ideas were flowing”.…

Sixteen years back, in 1999, we pitched our tent called Geniekids in Bangalore to explore children and learning. Well, sigh! we have packed up our Bangalore center this march-end, to embrace our new off-the-earth base camp – called O (open) Campus (60km from Bangalore). So here we are, with some musings, which we picked up…