Get Krafty!

Last month, as I walked into Times the Book Shop ,Pavilion, to my utter surprise,I saw MYSELF beaming from cheek to cheek and as gay as the kids zooming around - on a poster.Great stuff ! 'Grandma's ' on the loose !! If only my kids were with me! Gosh! where's my pen to autograph for a few fans?? It will happen, one day...

Weekends see me doing my rounds of storytelling for kids. That keeps me out of mischief and spreading some cheer too. For sure, some parents are delighted to have their kids under my wings for them to recharge their own batteries. After stories, there's always craft time for the little fingers to explore themselves and be creative.


There are kids that just dive in to do , others will watch and then, after the initial uncertainties, they too are immersed in tackling the craft at hand. In a world of their own , their heart and soul work to produce their art.

When I told The Bharunda Bird, a timeless story from the Panchatantra, I made the 2 headed bird. Several children wanted to know how I got the 2 heads to move. I showed them a little gadget, the paper fastener that made the bird move.

There was more colour following the story. The kids dived into making the most colourful Bird of Paradise mask. I had prepared a big box of colourful paper , cut into strips and odd shapes for them to decorate. Really, the next thing they could do was just turn up at a masquerade ball!!!


In July/ August, we swam with the fishes in the warm waters of the coral reef. As the story unravelled, I plonked laminated hand drawn pics of the sea creatures, held faithfully by the blue tac . The background cardboard displayed a coral reef. Just right to set the scene. Among the sea denizens were - a hermit crab, blue sea slug, eel, spotty fish, fiery dragon fish , cuttlefish, puffer fish.

A baby clownfish was just dying for adventure in the story, The Curious ClownFish. Well, he had a gala time but sea life also has its spills and thrills. Baby Clownfish was frightened out of his wits when Eel gnashed and bared his teeth at him. Heart pounding , poor Clownfish spun away and twirled and swam furiously back to the warm arms of the anemone. Home!

Hope you can spot baby Clownfish among the rest. The kids sang a few songs about the fishes and they made a paper plate fish , mouth open wide. It caught a tiny fish too!!





With the younger ones, the classic, The Lion and the Mouse make them want to be the mighty lion and the grateful little mouse all at the same time!! The toilet roll mouse is an effective prop. When all the bits are glued together, the fat, well-fed looking mouse, as craft is always a winner!



Talk about a dull time with kids? No way! Only thing, 'Grandma's' legs got to keep running to keep up with the young 'uns! Go, Grandma, go! Keep telling!