Play areas and schools

A few months back Kavitha (my cousin) called and suggested we take the kids out. My hubby was in Madurai conducting training and both Vidur and I were equally bored. I therefore, jumped at the idea of taking the kids to a place where they can play. Kavitha took us (Aarav, Vidur, and me) to a play school called Hanzel and Gratel. This place has a five rooms:
1. One had 4-5 mini cars and a see-saw
2. A toy house which allows the kids to play inside it; this room also has several toys
3. A box full of colorful balls and small play pen
4. A desk, coloring books, crayons, storybooks
5. A screen to view cartoons and animations

My husband reflected that it is sad that we need to take our children to places such as this and that they don't play in the streets as he used to as a child. This is true. In our apartments, there are no kids of Vidur's age. Most people are retired. Who will Vidur play with? I hope we have an oppurtunity to move into a complex full of young families with children, next time around. Till then, we have to make do with such places. I am grateful that there are play areas such as these that give my child an option to play with other children. No wonder mothers put their children in play schools very early these days. I can sense the restless energy in Vidur and he must be terribly bored playing with adults all the time. I also feel that children pick things up really quickly when they go to play schools.

Similarly, I had taken to Magic Hats (in Sathyam Complex). Here, you can leave your child while you watch a movie. They have a huge slide, an area full of color balls, several toys, computer games, and a huge screen to watch cartoons. The ladies there are trained to take care of children (really young children also). They also give the children buscuits, juice, and bread. I am not ready to let go of my boy, therefore, while Rajeev watched a movie with his friends, I stayed with Vidur in the play area. Vidur did not have company as most other children were older than him. I must say older children are very mean to younger children (my sis says I was pretty mean to her too! :/). I guess most of them are too grown up to play with a 1+ child. They only want to play with children their own age or older. Anyway, Vidur had a great time and that's what matters.

Last weekend, we took him to Fun City (in Citi Center). They have a small play area for smaller children and a parent is allowed to accompany their child. Vidur was very clingy that evening and he refused to go to my sister. Then he noticed that Deepa was entering the play area and he immediately jumped to her. He thoroughly enjoyed himself. He went down the slide and climbed up the slide, threw a few balls out and then collected them and put them in again, moved the huge blocks out of the toy house, played on the see saw... my mom, sis, and I, enjoyed watching him play.