Bringing joy to learning

KOCHI:Summer vacations are around the corner and some parents might be thinking how they can make their ward’s time fruitful and enjoyable. For this, they might insist their children join some classes so that they can hone a talent in some particular field. Catering to the needs of the parents and children, Thiruvananthapuram-based Tiju Thomas and Sarita Sreejith are broadcasting live programmes through their Facebook Page ‘Tiju’s Craft’ which is slated to teach children everything from music to drawing but also help them specialise in acting and craft.

Whether it is making an Easter bunny or a fishing rod, a live programme is broadcasted how to use the raw materials to transform it into a creative work of art. Tiju says, “This page was started with the intention of showing simple and easy craft to kids who like to create beautiful items with easily available materials.”
Castalia, a school for acting, art, dance, music and martial arts was started by Tiju Thomas some five years back. It is the only centre in Thiruvananthapuram that provides all these classes under one roof for children with professional supervision and was started as an activity centre for people of all ages. But, it was after they worked as designers for an educational CD for kids that gave them a thought to start this new venture.

Tiju says, “I had this thought to collaborate with POGO channel’s most-watched show ‘M.A.D’ which was always a favourite among children. This show was accompanied by innovative craft ideas. I wanted to bring this same idea to India so children can make the best use of their vacations.” The centre at Nanthancode conducts an array of activities such as cooking hacks, art and craft, animation. Besides this, they are also engaged in teaching yoga, Reiki, karate and other skill development activities for children.

They conduct summer camps for children and this is the sixth year they are conducting summer camp which has been titled ‘Kids Acting’ along with various skill development activities. This is for the children aged between six and 15 years with a theatre production at the end of the class from April 5 to May 26 starting from 9.30 am and continue till 1.30 pm. The play ‘Tom Sawyer’ will be acted out by children at the end of the camp. Besides being an artist, Tiju is a familiar face in various television channels where he conducts kids shows based on crafts. His shows include ‘Craft World’ in ACV, ‘Kids World’ in Amritha, ‘school BUS’ in Kaumudy. He is also a theatre personality and has directed many biblical and children’s dramas, the most recent one being ‘Thekovakaram Amos’.