Shabd Manch - A Festival of Letters - Author Mamta Nainy
Mamta Nainy led an engaging session with children from Classes I and IV using a blend of storytelling, interactive activities and creative exercises.
She began the session by introducing artefacts like a nutcracker, reed pen, and Kajrota Kajal Dani to spark curiosity about how grandparents lived and communicated in the past, fostering a connection with their grandparents' generation.
Creative storytelling involved the children in activities such as using exaggerated expressions (hyperbole) to enhance their understanding of storytelling techniques. For example, she highlighted phrases like "I could eat a horse" in the story ‘Mutthasi's Missing Teeth.’ The children enjoyed exploring sounds and letters such as making the "th" sound without using their teeth and recalling food items one can have without them.
Mamta Nainy gently settled the children in between the stories through an activity of smelling roses and blowing out candles to calm their energies.
The session also delved into cultural themes with a discussion on traditional clothing. Children learned about the process of weaving sarees and the role of weavers in the Indian community through the story ‘A Saree for Ammi’.
For Class IV, Mamta Nainy introduced a creative exercise where children listened to music by Beethoven and drew or wrote based on their visualisations. She then took them through the narration of the story ‘That Big-Voiced Girl’ about the singer Usha Uthup and gave them a peek into the concept of ‘fictionalised non fiction’.
Answering questions, she provided an overview of the book publishing process, explaining the roles of designers, illustrators, editors, and marketers. Another question about the languages led to an interactive activity where children shared how they addressed their grandmothers in their respective regional languages, emphasising the importance of communication and cultural diversity.
Mamta Nainy’s session was a blend of historical exploration and creative arts. The combination of interactive storytelling, calming exercises and creative tasks provided a rich and enjoyable learning experience for all participants.