On a day visit to Anganwadi Kendra called as “Rathodo ka guda” meaning a township owned by Rathod’s stands an Anganwadi Kendra somewhat around 25 kms from my workplace. A visit was arranged with my colleagues as we planned a health talk and interactive session with mothers and to be mothers on awareness about immunization services and timely immunization for children of township on village Health and Nutrition Day. While awaiting them to join in courtyard of Anganwadi, I stepped inside the hall of Anganwadi Kendra to witness a colorful room filled with little chairs and tables, stack of drawing books, colored chart papers on walls, tables stacked with registers, a spot map of the Kendra and a kitchen in corner which would be to provide cooked meals to beneficiaries at Kendra.
All very subtly striking and colorful but at the end of room in a quiet corner I found, what I may say brought light to eyes and a smile on my face. It was a joyful scene of clay toys as seen in the cover picture of blog, never knew something as small as toys can inspire me to write this blog. I am sure they might have got help from their caregivers and Anganwadi caretakers but it took to me to a cloud of thoughts when they must be created by those little hands with mud and water. How this clay playing is more than just a play – they’re tools for growth.
It might look simple fun activity but in reality, they were engaged in powerful developmental work, all through the humble art of clay making. Specially under six-year-olds play it’s their most important job, shaping clay would have helped them improve their fine motor skills, eye hand coordination, sharpen focus and concentration, imagination, observing capacity and sensory stimulation experience of touching different textures also supports brain development. This kind of open-ended play fuels language development, storytelling and emotional regulation, working as a team, following instructions of elders- all important aspects of early
childhood development.
In a world often focused on high tech solutions, sci-if games, gadgets, modernized toys, specialized services for children’s, it’s easy to forget that some of the most impactful tools for health and development are simple and tactile. Anganwadi caretakers in all aspects can integrate clay play into broader dimension for health and nutrition activities while children are engaged. They can observe important delays in physical or cognitive milestones, teaching basic hand hygiene, such as washing hands before and after play, offer nutritious snacks in a relaxed setting promoting healthy behaviors.
Let clay express child what they may not yet have words for it’s a boost to creativity and communication it requires no screens no fancy tools it’s an inclusive low cost activity that welcomes every child.
We can volunteer to conduct such sessions or storytelling workshops spreading awareness of how powerful play can be supporting simple interventions to fruitful milestones, sharper minds and happier children.
