Why these two mothers started an activity centre for children in Mumbai

Bharati Mohan and Trishika Shetty had something in common when they first met mdash their childrenLike most mothers of fiveyearolds both Trishika and Bharati were strung out from navigating the chaos of preschool routines based in Powai Their bond was instant as it was rooted in shared concerns about raising children in a city where parenting often means juggling work commitments finding not just any but the right kind of activities and minimising screentime ldquoOne of the key things which drew both of us to this idea is the fact that both of us are mums to fiveyearoldsrdquo says Bharati who is bestowed with double the fun with her twins ldquoThis constant balancing act has been an issue very close to both our hearts for the last four yearsrdquoPiciStockThe solution they found is The Motley Otters mdash a firstofitskind ondemand activity centre for children in Mumbai ldquoMost of the activities that we sign up the kids for require a commitment from the parents mdash a onemonth package with classes only happening two or three hours a weekrdquo explains Trishika ldquoKids at this age donrsquot have that kind of focus or clarity about what they want to dordquo The Motley Otters help parents achieve this clarity by mapping out these activities for their kids with their consent of courseThe centre opened its doors on August 11 and operates on a model that is boredomproof ldquoEvery hour therersquos a different activityrdquo Trishika says ldquoFor example today the first hour was art and craft mdash ice painting The second hour was puppetry mdash finger puppets The third hour was fitness and gamesrdquo For parents this is key because they can choose an activity and match their childrenrsquos drop off time to that particular time mdash Monday to Friday 330 to 630 pm mdash allowing them the choice to let their child engage in an activity of their choosing without the stress of having to catch up with the rest of the group if they miss out the beginning middle or end of the three hoursAt its core the project is an attempt to create a missing third space for children in the cityThe flexibility is deliberate ldquoThis helps kids identify where their interest lies If they love something theyrsquoll keep coming back for it If not they move on It is a place where choice and play rule over rigid schedulesrdquo says BharatiThe Motley Otters has set the intention at the outset mdash that this isnrsquot just about the children It is designed as a threeway platform mdash benefiting kids parents and teachers ldquoWe are giving a platform to trained teachers and experts as wellrdquo notes Bharati ldquoBuilding a community for exchange of ideas and curriculumrdquo Parents meanwhile gain breathing space and support ldquoIn nuclear families children are often left to nannies who arenrsquot equipped to keep them engagedrdquo she says ldquoThis space provides a more engaging environment with trained experts plus social interaction with other kids Itrsquos also about community building for parents themselvesrdquoDrawings made by the kids during craft hourIn each class thought has gone into not just keeping children busy but also grow emotionally Storytelling sessions for instance has been designed by psychologists with socialemotional learning in mind ldquoEach story tries to deal and familiarise them with a certain emotion in a safe settingrdquo Trishika explains ldquoIt could be fear mdash like The Monster Under My Bed mdash followed by an activity Or it could be anger or a sense of identity Every story is trying to discuss big emotions but in a childfriendly mannerrdquoOther classes are equally varied from art and craft to Krav Maga selfdefence and fitness games ldquoItrsquos unstructuredstructured learning if you may call it thatrdquo says Bharati ldquoThe aim is to provide a holistic childhoodrdquoKids participate in different activities at The Motley OttersUnderlying it all is a worry every modern parent shares screens ldquoWe feel there is a massive addiction to devices nowadaysrdquo Bharati says ldquoAll research indicates that early addiction to devices leads to depression at ages as young as eight or ninerdquoFor Trishika and Bharati the goal is bigger than one centre ldquoFive years down the line we hope to be in the top four or five cities of the countryrdquo says Bharati ldquoWe want children to proudly say lsquoIrsquom a The Motley Otters kidrsquordquoAt its core the project is an attempt to create a missing third space for children in the city mdash a place beyond school and home where they can just be Trishika points out ldquoPlay areas are becoming redundant They have the same trampoline ball pool and sandpit How long can you keep doing thatrdquo she saysMotley Otterrsquos experiment may be just two weeks old but the concept has seemed to hit a gap in the market Parents have already asked them to open on Saturdays which they will begin in September Bharati summarises perfectly ldquoWe just want kids to have the kind of happy full childhood we had mdash full of play creativity and communityrdquo