Objects that small children
encounter in their vicinity on a regular basis influence them in their
formative years. They notice cars, elevators, computers and kitchen utensils,
which are all man-made things. Yet, the stories we tell them are about
animals and jungles; and fairy-tales - far removed from their reality.
We think that it is only right. Then, why don't we give more thought to
bringing these far-removed objects into their cognitive worlds?
Even in the park, the slides and the swings vie for their attention, but the trees and butterflies escape them. We need to lead our city-slick children
by the hand and make them aware of nature, of animate things - a
distant reality for many. One way of doing this is to involve them in
outdoor activities like bird watching.
Arouse interest in nature
Even
in the concrete jungle of our metros, there are always pockets of
greenery - gardens and small woods that are an invitation to birds. The
city slickers mostly familiar with crows and sparrows may be surprised
to discover a whole new world out there. All one needs is a small pair of amateur binoculars. If we can afford expensive toys for our children, why not buy this one? It is not just a toy, but an investment, too.
Armed
with binoculars and some grains like bajri or even bread crumbs head to
the nearest oasis, with your children's friends in tow. It had better
be in the early mornings, when the bird activity is at its peak. For children
in the age group of 3 - 5, one may need to keep up a running commentary
to keep their interest from flagging. Lead them by talking about the
objects they see, such as, the leaves - their shapes and colours,
butterflies, snails and other creepy crawlies. Once their interest is
aroused enough, they can slowly graduate to spotting birds.
Take them to their roots!
It
needs a trained eye to spot a bird hidden among leaves, or when in
flight to identify it by its stance or plumage. Birds are elusive. But
the flipside is that, due to increased urbanization, birds are becoming
bolder or more domesticated. Offering to feed them bread crumbs or roti
may tempt some to come closer. Soon, going beyond the pigeons and
parrots, children
will start spotting bulbuls, tailorbirds, magpie robins, shrikes and
countless others. A bird guide can help you give some delightful
insights into their habits and tips that you can pass onto the kids at
their level.
Bird watching calls for a little discipline. It requires patience, stealth and quiet. Children,
as you know, are lacking in all these. But, with a bit of imagination,
you can draw them into it as a game that calls for whispering and not
talking loudly. It works and when they start enjoying it, they will tag
on, willingly. Ornithologists, or professional bird watchers, have
interesting experiences to narrate of taking children on bird watching expeditions.
Says one: "children make the most interesting observations about nature around them, from which we ourselves can take a lesson or two!"
