Guide for Grade-Schoolers ...
To support a Sikhi Foundation in times of Isolation
During this time when homes have become kids' schools, parents' workplaces, and much more, many parents being challenged to balance supervision of the homeschooling, keeping up with work responsibilities as well as managing the household without any external help. To top it all off, adults and children alike may be dealing with feelings of anxiety/fear and loneliness/sadness or simply overwhelmingness. We believe that connecting with Sikhi and our Guru's teachings can have the great impact of providing peace of mind that we all need right now. So we have collected some resources that might come in handy for parents of grade-schoolers.
1. COLORING
Who doesn't love to color? Although depending on the child, sometimes coloring can seem boring, encourage them to experiment with various coloring mediums such as watercolors, oil paints, or simple pencil shading. Check out the links below for some great Sikhi related coloring pages.
www.Sikhcolouring.com They also have coloring books that you can order and several other cute products
www.LittleSikhs.com An abundance of resources for children of various ages
2. ARTS AND CRAFTS
Projects are something children of all ages seem to enjoy. Encourage your children to find some scrap supplies at home and then create something Sikhi related, out of it like a Khanda, IkOnkar, or their name in Gurmukhi. If they are unsure about the assignment, you can direct them to the following links for some inspiration.
https://www.littlesikhs.com/little-sikhs-puppets/2019/5/19/little-sikhs-puppets
3. GAMES
Whether we like it or not, our children are getting a bit more screen time than usual right now. Why not make it productive by offering them some Sikhi inspired games?
Sikhville has several different kinds of games, some of which can be attractive for grade-schoolers depending on their interest. To download on tablet/phone, search for Vismaad Mediatech in the store (Sikhville app is also available but as of the time of this post, that does not seem to be working).
Little Sikhs have some simple drag and drop games.
If you/your child prefers the traditional board games, check out the links below for a few ideas
Rabab-e-Punjab trivia game and others
4. AUDIO/VIDEOS
When it's time for them to just relax, they can listen to audio Sakhis compiled by Sikhnet. Some of these have videos attached as well.
When in the mood to watch something, they can use these links to find videos that can be educational, fun and inspiring all at the same time
Roop Singh Episodes
5. LEARNING GURMUKHI
Let's admit it, our kids are probably going to learn the English alphabet way before they will Gurmukhi. But it's so important that we make it a priority to teach them Gurmukhi so they can read Gurbani one day and don't have to rely on a middle man to convey the message of their Guru to them. There are several resources available that make learning Gurmukhi fun. Check them out!
Playing with Painti is an amazing resource to help teach Gurmukhi to young kids in a fun and innovative manner -- its inexpensive and all downloadable handouts with simple supplies at home such as play-doh, scissors, colors, glue, etc.
Another amazing site with multiple free downloads is again through Sikhville
Sirjana Arts have created some memory games or stamps, etc with the Gurmukhi alphabet.
If your child likes flashcards, get them the Gurmukhi ones here
And finally, youtube has some fun videos, this is one of our favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQPGYUHO7DY&t=18s
6. LEARNING GURBANI
Although some days might seem especially difficult with kids at home all the time, we can use all this time with them to help our children get into a Gursikh's routine. Start by simply adding Japji Sahib in the morning and Sohila Path at bedtime. If possible, do Rehras Sahib as a family every evening. Encourage the kids to memorize some of the Baanis in their free time.
A great resource is the My First Gutka App by Khalis Foundation
Kirtan is another way to connect with the Shabad Guru. If they already know Kirtan, try having an evening Diwan at home with family. Otherwise, encourage them to learn a new Shabad. One resource is a WhatsApp group created by Bhajneet Singh "1 Shabad a Month" where he posts the notes each month so children can learn. To be added to the group, please email him at bhajneet@gmail.com.
7. Books
Our children spend so much time on the screen these days and the majority of their learning comes from there. However, it is important to encourage them to designate at least 30-40 minutes daily where they read an actual book about a topic of their interest. Even better if you can provide them with some interesting titles that reflect Sikhi values. We have included in the image above some of our favorite titles; however, there are several more (We are working on making a complete listing for the future) Below are links to where you might find some of those titles to purchase. If you are looking for a particular book and unable to find it, please feel free to contact us.
https://www.sikhistore.com/category/books-comics/page/2/
https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Takuya-Letters-Sikh-Boy/dp/0615208525
Our very own publication, Dream Big, Little Kaur, is also coming out later this summer. Be sure to check it out! You can learn more about our upcoming book on our homepage, or by clicking here.