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Park time and Play with Prithvi Brings Back my Childhood


My son, Prithvi, had just begun attending play school in 2019. He loved every minute of going there, after about a month of crying and sniffling when I would leave! And then came the pandemic. Covid 19 lockdowns meant I could no longer take him outdoors. My son speaks very little. He couldn’t quite express his confusion at being forced to remain inside but he felt it deeply. Our last year of living in Mumbai, where homes are small and the rent is high, made his life even more restricted. 

Recently we have moved to Noida, in Delhi NCR. The city provides ample space for children to step out. I have a young girl who lives with us and her primary job is to be his playmate. Missing out on school and not having kids around is unhealthy for a toddler, so I have made it a point for Soni to be around him. So while most prefer to send kids outdoors when the sun is down, we’ve taken our time to savour the sun in the day time across different parks. Soni and Prithvi make for a great park time team, doing things only kids make so interesting. Remember to wear lots of sunscreen! 

Exploring machines is Prithvi’s passion. Like I said, he won’t talk but he definitely try to build and create something with just about anything. At big lush parks too, he first tries to figure out the mechanics of a machine. And then gets on to kiddo mode, with Soni egging him on. Together, they let their hair down playing and competing, which is exactly what children his age should be doing. 



Guess what is he looking at so keenly? Alongside his playmate Soni? 



A lawnmower! Machine buff meets green grass cutting Indian jugar! 



Making the most of sprinkler sprays at the gorgeous Lodhi Gardens! 



He loves chasing shadows under the sun! 




Swinging together to see who goes higher at Meghdootam Park, Noida


Watching them play together makes me want to become a child, or at least a teenager again! While I can’t quite make up for the absence of school, parks and a play time friend is definitely helping Prithvi develop his communication skill and his ability to have empathy. 

 

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