Onam is a festival that supports familial bonding across ages through cherished traditions and delicious foods. At Little Feet nursery in Sharjah, we appreciate that festivals like Onam are crucial in creating sweet memories and, at the same time, in imparting culture unto the children.
This year, the Onam celebration at the nursery appeared exceptionally joyous and festive. Our children not only learned but also participated, which is a distinctive feature of traditional celebrations during a child’s early development.
Little Feet Nursery transformed into a vibrant celebration. With much zeal, kids participated in the celebration of Onam by composing an extraordinary floral mosaic which acted as a captivating centerpiece. To add to the cultural spectacle, girls put on colorful kasavu sarees while the boys put on crisply pressed white mundus which was a culturally vivid display.
The celebrations commenced with the storytelling of the returning Mahabali to Kerala which is the king famously associated with Onam. To capture the attention of the children, the story had to be well told, which meant the educators had to condense the story while using striking illustrations to keep the kids engaged.
The staff and children actively took part in the creation of a splendid pookalam (floral carpet) in the central play area. With the help of the staff, the children were taught the importance of marigolds, roses, and colorful rangoli powder, in providing patterns, colors, as well as collaboration through this beautiful tradition.
Onam Activities at Our Nursery
Pookalam Creation
Preschoolers collected several flower varieties and were taught to arrange them into circles. This task not only increased their fine motor skills but also connected them to the Onam festival.
Traditional Outdoor Activities
We organized scaled-down versions of some Onam classics like tug-of-war and musical chairs to the rhythm of Malayalam songs. These activities promoted gross motor skills and social skills.
Onam Tunes and Movement
Children were taught to sing and accompany their singing with simple movements to select Onam tunes. This allowed them to express their happiness through organized motion.
Onam Themed Arts and Crafts
Children created construction paper boats, drew King Mahabali, and designed elephant silhouettes, which are all symbols of Onam and triggered their imaginative skills.
Significance of Cultural Events in Nursery Education
Participating in cultural events is critical for preschool-age children. I know that children are building cultural identity and compassion when I see local preschools and nurseries around my area celebrating festivals such as Onam.
Such events foster children’s understanding of diversity as well as appreciating their own cultural identity. We at Little Feet Nursery in Sharjah, a reputable nursery, have observed children constructively sharing cultural stories and traditions, which speaks to their self-esteem and their communicative skills owing to the cultural events held in our nursery.
Onam and other similar celebrations offer strong reassurances for parents who search for nurseries with wholesome programs that go beyond mere academics. Complete research indicates that multicultural education in the early years fosters cognitive flexibility, preparing children for the interdependent world. Thus, celebrating Onam is not simply for enjoyment as it also contributes to the raising of well-rounded global citizens.
How Little Feet Nursery Integrates Cultural Events
As one of the Middle and Near East region’s quickly emerging and best positioned nurseries in Sharjah, Little Feet Nursery takes pride in creating a multicultural environment that fosters the celebration of different cultural festivals throughout the calendar year. Our philosophy entails more than superficial multicultural activities. We aim to achieve purposeful cultural education.
Collaboration with parents as well as the school is necessary to ensure the authenticity of the festivals is upheld properly. Many families enrich our celebrations by sharing traditional dishes, stories, and artifacts. This home-school partnership is vital for the cohesion of our community.
Training on cultural sensitivity, along with the introduction of complex traditions tailored to children, is mandatory for our professional staff. It guarantees that all children, regardless of their culture, are treated with respect.
The nursery’s multicultural calendar incorporates different celebrations from various cultures, which helps children cherish the diverse wealth within our Sharjah community. This is what sets us apart from other nurseries and preschools. Parents often share that when they searched for nurseries near me, Little Feet Nursery stood out for its cultural celebrations and holistic learning approach.
Happy Moments of Onam at Little Feet
The smiles that children had during our Onam celebration were a reminder why cultural festivals are important in the early years of education. These are the moments that help children bond which is important for their nursery and later in life.
For parents, their children’s faces full of joy were a delightful way to thank us for celebrating their cultural traditions. Many of them shared how their children were bubbling with excitement to share Onam stories and activities with the other family members.
For us, we are also already contributing towards next year’s Onam celebration, which is a collaboration with the parent community for the nursery. Our focus is to add more new things while keeping the essence of the festival that makes it so special.
At the Little Feet Nursery, every festival is a moment for us to learn, nurture, and celebrate. Our Onam celebration is a great example of our commitment to providing a complete education which is academic and cultural.
If you are looking for a nursery near me, or searching for trusted nurseries in Sharjah that focus on culture and purposeful learning, we would like you to join us at Little Feet Nursery, a community that we would love to invite you to be a part of.