Witches, vampires and superheroes descended upon Schoolkutti.com Children’s Library on the 28th of October, 2023, for a shiversome Halloween bash.

The library’s party area was decorated with ghosts, spiderwebs, cutouts of pumpkins, bats and spiders that set the perfect Halloween ambiance. The children arrived in an array of costumes, from wizards and superheroes to vampires and witches. Kudos to the enthusiastic and creative parents!

The event featured many fun and engaging activities like Halloween-based quizzes, games like Hotseat, Scavenger Hunt and Feed the Monster. This was followed by party music and dancing. The kids spontaneously organized a game of musical chairs and musical statues that they thoroughly enjoyed! The event concluded on this happy note and all the little ghouls and ghosties went home happy. It was a day filled with fun, laughter and a touch of Halloween magic that will be cherished by all.

A word about the event’s host, Nandini. It was the 14-year-old’s first time independently hosting an event. She says of the experience, “Being a host was a really interesting experience. I loved watching people enjoy the party! A big thank you to Seema Aunty for giving me the opportunity to organise such an event and to schoolkutti staff members for their constant support. I couldn’t have done it without you!” Good luck to Nandini in all future endeavours. We at Schoolkutti.com hope to see you all again, for we have more fun-filled events planned for you. See you then …

In a cozy corner of our library, a group of eager young faces gathered, their eyes wide with anticipation. It was a special day, one that promised to whisk them away on a magical journey through the pages of a beloved book. This day was dedicated to “Winnie the Witch,” a tale of enchantment and friendship that had captured the hearts of generations. The story was chosen for story time knowing that it was a timeless favourite. As we began to read, the kids were drawn into the enchanting world of Winne and casting a spell over the young audience. They giggled as Winnie’s magical mishaps turned her breakfast into a bouncy adventure, and they gasped in awe as Winnie transformed her house into a colourful spectacle to make Wilbur feel at home. The vibrant and detailed illustrations brought the story to life, making it feel as though they were right there with Winnie and Wilbur. The children were captivated by Winnie’s adventures, hanging onto every word as she discovered the magic within herself and the value of friendship. They could relate to her desire to make her beloved cat happy and her determination to set things right when spells went awry.

It was a great pleasure knowing that we had shared a special storytime session with the children, one that had kindled their love for books and the magic that can be found within their pages. “Winnie the Witch” had worked its timeless charm once more, leaving a lasting impression on both young and old alike. After the story ended, we made witches with the craft papers and ultimately, the craft time for making witches was a delightful journey that allowed the kids to express their creativity and immerse themselves in the enchanting world of magic and mysticism.

Last Saturday, we had an uninvited guest who came to tea at our storytime session. We had fun reading the classic picture book story of Sophie and her extraordinary teatime guest. The tea-guzzling tiger, who turns up unannounced and eats and drinks all the food/drinks was a big hit. Kids were super excited to see the stuffy tiger which was furry with black stripes just like the tiger from the story. We were transported into the home of a kind British family, so polite they wouldn’t dream of turning away a tiger at their door, and not making a fuss when the tiger eats everything in sight. When it came to the part where the tiger swallows all the sandwiches on the plate in one big mouthful ‘Owp’, we had too much fun imitating the tiger. We enjoyed imagining different endings to the story. After the story session, we made bookmarks with tiger faces. Some tigers were cute and others were a little scary…

For last Saturday’s story time, we chose a wonderful book about the sustainable relationship between human beings and the environment. The tale ‘Bumoni’s banana tree’ is set on the outskirts of a National Park in rural Assam. Bumoni and her family have a big backyard full of banana trees. They make full use of the banana trees for making food items and a lot more. One night, a herd of elephants crosses the river and gorges on the bananas and tramples the trees. Bumoni and her family manage to chase away the wild elephants, but Bumoni is worried about the elephants. Finally, she comes up with a great idea that allows the elephants to have their feast without destroying any crops.

Even though the children felt sorry for the elephants, they were delighted that the elephants could have their feast in their own homes. It is important for the next generation to understand and appreciate the need to resolve human-animal conflicts with empathy and coexist in harmony. The children discussed the different snacks that are made from bananas and what their favorites are. For the craft session, we made paper elephants and the kids were eager to name their elephants.