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 વ.
Creating Corner: First up is વ for વનસ્પતિ (vanaspati, nature).
Go on a walk. While on this walk, have your kid point out different aspects of nature that they like.
Collect some leaves while on your nature walk. You will need around 7-8 leaves total.
Arrange the leaves on a blank sheet of paper to form a "વ" pattern. Put another blank sheet of paper over this. Use crayons to draw over the paper. The impression of the leaves will make the letter વ!
Next up is વ for વરસાદ (varsaad, rain).
Let's make it rain some noise by making a rain maker!
All you need is a paper towel roll or two toilet paper rolls, rice, tape, aluminum foil, construction paper, and some markers!
Check out the full instructions in this awesome blog:
Activity time: Let's put the વ in વિમાન (vimaan, airplane).
Help your kid fly into some fun with this activity!
Make a few paper airplanes. (You will need at least two).
Have a friendly competition with your kid to see whose airplane can go the furthest. You can also make this more of an experiment and have your kid manipulate the paper airplanes to see what they can do to make the planes go farther!
Make sure you grab a measuring tape so your kid can learn how to properly measure distances!
Last up, is વ for વાંદર (vaandar, monkey).
Monkeys are a real hoot (no pun intended). Help your kid really put the વ in વાંદર by teaching them what noise a monkey makes.
You can also help them learn how to draw a monkey by following the instructions on this blog, which breaks down drawing monkeys into a matter of simple shapes: https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/how-to-draw-a-monkey/
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 વ share the story of the black and white cloud (વાદળ, vaadal). 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:
વાસુદેવ (Vasudev)
વાલ્મિકી (Valmiki)
વિશ્વામિત્ર (Vishvamitra)
Qualities:
વિશ્વાસ (vishwaas, trust)
વીર (veer, courageous)
Sing-A-Long: The best way to learn a letter is to sing it! So, sing the letter વ in the song "Avre Varsaad":
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 વ!
વ for વટાણા (vataanaa, peas)
વ for વતન (vatan, hometown)
વ for વહાલ (vahaal, love)
વ for વાંકુચુંકુ (vaankuchunku, zigzagged)
વ for વખાણ (vakhaan, praise)
વ for વસ્તુ (vastu, thing)
વ for વાર (vaar, hair)
વ for વખત (vakhat, time)
વ for વહેલા (vahelaa, early)
વ for વસુંધરા (vasundaraa,
વ for વાદળ (vaadal, cloud)
વ for વાદળી (vaadali, light blue color)
વ for વાઘ (vaagh, tiger)
વ for વાંદરો (vaandaro, monkey)
વ for વરુ (varu, wolf)
વ for વરાહ (varaaha, pig)
વ for વાયુ (vaayu, wind)
વ for વૈકુંઠ (veykunt,
વ for વજન (vajan, weight)
વ for વૈશાખ (veyshaak,
વ for વાસણ (vaasan, cookware)
વ for વેલણ (velan, rolling pin)
વ for વાડકો (vaadko, bowl)
વ for વસંત (vasant, spring)
વ for વૈભવ (vaibhav, wealth)
વ for વિશાળ (vishaal, vast)
વ for વેણી (veni, braid)
Question of the Week: Take a break from learning about વ and stretch your mind with the question of the week! Q: How do clouds form?
A:
Clouds form when water droplets gather on tiny particles (like dust) that are floating in the air. As many of these particles condense, a cloud is formed.
For a more detailed explanation of this, check out this blog:
If you have some extra time, then you can also make a cloud at home! For instructions on how to do this, check out this blog: