Kids learn best when they are having fun. I have found that my toddler is most excited to learn Gujarati when I associate the letters with fun activities or stories. That’s why each week we feature a Gujarati letter of the week, where we share activities and stories that are based on that letter. This week’s letter is લ.
Creating Corner: First up is લ for લીંબુ (limbu, lemon) .
When life gives you lemons-- become an artist! All you need for this activity are some old lemons, paint, and paper.
1. Cut a lemon in half.
2. Juice the lemon. (We don't need the actual lemon juice so you can set this aside to make some lemonade or use in your cooking).
3. Use the back of a spoon to remove any residual pulp or flesh in the lemon.
4. Leave the lemon halves outside to dry out.
5. Stamp away! Dip the lemon halves in your choice of paint and then stamp out designs onto a blank piece of paper.
**Check out this awesome blog for some photos and additional instructions:
Activity time:
First up is લ for લંગડી (langadi):
Langadi is an Indian game. It is essentially tag. However, the person who is "it" has to try to catch everyone else while only jumping on one foot. To even the playing field, everyone else has to stay within the confines of a smaller boundary (around the size of a living room). Teach your kid this game and have the whole family exercise their way into learning about લ!
**You can also incorporate numbers into this by writing a Gujarati number on a board and having your kid hop on one foot for however many times the number says.
Next up is લ for લોટ (lota, dough):
Make some homemade playdough! There are lots of recipes online, so you can choose whichever one you like the best. Here is one that we used:
https://www.iheartnaptime.net/play-dough-recipe/
Once you have made your playdough, teach your kid shapes by having them create different shapes with the playdough!
Storytime: My kid LOVES stories. I have found that relating Gujarati letters to specific stories helps her associate the letter with more words and helps her practice saying the letter out loud. For the letter લ share the story of લોખંડ ની કુહાડી (lokhand ni kuhaadi, the iron ax) . You can read this story (and more) under the “Gujarati stories” tab on our website.
Character/Quality Corner: While learning letters is super important, learning character is even more important. So why not do both simultaneously? Associating letters with characters and qualities helps pique my kid’s interest in great historical figures while also allowing her to practice saying the letter out loud. Characters:
લક્ષમણ (Laxman)
લક્ષ્મી (Laxmi)
લવ (Luv from the Ramayan)
Quality:
લજ્જા (lajjaa, bashful)
Sing-A-Long: The best way to learn a letter is to sing it! Here are a few Hindi songs that start with લ!
Lalla lalla lori: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyrPh76Uz3M
Lakadi pe kaati: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjOetE6vJRc
Word Salad: The best way to learn another language is to hear as many words as possible. Here are just a few extra words to practice during the week that start with લ!
લ for લાલ (laal, red)
લ for લીલું (leelu, green)
લ for લસણ (lasan, garlic)
લ for લીંબુ (limbu, lemon)
લ for લોટ (lota, dough)
લ for લખવાનું (lakhvaanu, to write)
લ for લોંચુમ્બક (lonchumbuk, magnet)
લ for લોખંડ (lokhand, iron)
લ for લાંબુ (laambu, long)
લ for લંગડી (langadi, one foot jumping)
લ for લંકા (Lanka)
લ for લાભ (laabh, benefit)
લ for લપસી (lapasi, slip)
Question of the Week: Take a break from learning about લ and stretch your mind with the question of the week!
Q: How do લોંચુમ્બક (lonchumbuk, magnets) work?
A: Every object in this world has tiny building blocks called atoms. One of the pieces of atoms is an electron. In most objects, the electrons are randomly arranged. However, in magnets, the electrons all line up the same way. This allows magnets to essentially create a field around themselves that can either attract or repel other objects. Check out this blog for a more detailed explanation: https://www.explainthatstuff.com/magnetism.html
**You can also do a mini experiment with your kid by grabbing a magnet and seeing what objects will stick to the magnet and what objects won't.