One of the most amazing parts of being an Indian is the incredibly vast, storied, and diverse culture we are all a part of! From foods and languages to clothes and crafts, there are countless tales and traditions to pass along to our children.
But why is it important to share our culture with the next generation? And what's the best way to introduce young minds to wonderful stories of India and Indian culture for kids? Read on to find out!
Why teach your child about their culture?
1. Strengthens their identity - Knowing about the history of their country, state, and people can help your child build their sense of self. It will also help them feel a deep sense of belonging from a young age.
2. Fosters curiosity - Every culture is filled with delicious foods, fun folktales, and inspiring historical stories. Getting to know about these will pique your child’s curiosity about the world around them!
3. Helps appreciate differences - The more you teach Indian culture to preschoolers, little one learns about the differences across Indian culture, the more they will be able to respect and understand their friends, classmates, and neighbours. This will also help them see what makes every culture so interesting!
4. Hones emotional intelligence - Being able to understand the history and context of others will help your child empathize better and form friendships easily.
5. Preserve our cultural heritage - Teaching Indian culture to preschoolers and kids – about Indian foods, stories, crafts, traditions and toys in Indian culture is the best way to keep them alive and relevant!
The role of toys in Indian culture
Traditional toys and games have been a part of Indian culture for children for centuries! Not only do we have unique ways of making traditional Indian toys, but many of our childhood classic toys (even the ones manufactured abroad!) have origins that can be traced back to India.
Karnataka’s famous Channapatna dolls, Andhra Pradesh’s Kondapalli toys, and Tamil Nadu’s bobblehead Thanjavur dolls are all perfect traditional Indian toys to play with and showcase Indian culture for kids. Be it the clothing of these dolls, the natural materials they are made with, or the toymaking handicraft that is passed across generations, these toys in Indian culture are very distinct!
Want to know more about the master craftspeople who make shumee toys? Read this blog to find out! |
And it is not just dolls. In India, we have our versions of the popular spin top, such as the lattu and the bambaram. Wooden carts, horses, blocks, terracotta animals, and handmade ragdolls are some other age-old traditional Indian toys for babies that celebrate Indian culture through craft, storytelling, and play!
Now that we have taken a look at the rich history of toys in Indian culture, the questions that come to mind would be – How can you access these toys made in far-off corners of the country? And will these traditional Indian wooden toys feel relevant for today’s children?
Enter shumee toys!
Learning about India through play
At Shumee, we’ve been working with Indian artisans who are masters of traditional toymaking. Most of our toys take traditional designs and rework them with contemporary elements. We also have a wide range of traditional Indian toys for babies that are created to effortlessly introduce your little one to India and our culture. Let’s look at some all-time favourites!
1. Wooden Classic Toys
The first toy we made at Shumee was our Rainbow Wooden Stacker. This colourful remake of the traditional Indian toy stacker was an instant hit with parents and children! These are excellent indoor toys for preschoolers.
Another set of traditional Indian wooden toys we’ve given a makeover to are the humble blocks. From Alphabet Blocks to Chalk-o-Blocks to Baby’s First Pattern Blocks, we have a whole range of bright and versatile wooden blocks for children at different ages and stages of their development!
Shumee was started by a mom who wanted her sons to play with safe, simple, and open-ended toys. Read about our journey from one rainbow stacker to hundreds of wooden toys! |
2. Funky Spin Tops
There are few things as fun as twirling a top and watching it spin, spin, spin! From colourful hand-carved tops to gorgeous animal tops, we have an inspired range of spin tops to choose from. These traditional Indian toys for babies are perfect to bring to a playdate, compete with siblings, or keep fidgety hands busy!
3. Indiascape toys
Of course, we all want our children to know about each state in our country, their capitals, and their specific culture. But how can we get young children interested in all of this? Our Indiascape cards, puzzle and activity book is a super easy solution to teach Indian culture to preschoolers! The puzzle game for kids in this set will keep them busy for hours.
Fix together an illustrated Indian map, test your memory, or enjoy a game of Snap – your child can learn all about India, each state and its heritage from this specially designed range of themed games and activities.
4. Indian Mythology range
Our toys and activities also include a Ramayana and a Little Krishna range of cards, peg dolls, and children’s books! These are excellent ways to share the epics of Indian culture to children. Teaching Indian culture to preschoolers and kids have never been easier!
The peg dolls are our nod to India’s immense lineage of wooden doll-making. These traditional Indian wooden toys can be used as storytelling props, pretend play figurines or even festival decor. These handmade and hand-painted dolls also make great return gifts!
5. Thirsty Crow Board Game
Panchatantra stories are great for teaching Indian culture to preschoolers. Remember the Panchatantra story of the thirsty crow? Not only was it an awesome lesson in resourcefulness, but retelling it is sure to fill you up with nostalgia!
Our Thirsty Crow Board Game is inspired by this lovely folktale. Take on the role of thirsty crows, collect your pebbles, and play your way across the board to reach the Matka of Water – an easy family game night staple!
6. Handcrafted Stamps
Printmaking has always been a thriving Indian craft used for making clothes, home decor, and more. You can now give your child a chance to experience making their prints with Shumee’s hand-carved wooden stamps and organic paints.
From Peppa Pig to forest animals to dinosaurs, you can pick from a wide selection of stamp designs. These baby toys are great for making cards, decorating gift wrapping, or to just getting creative!
7. Wooden Balancing Yogis
There’s nothing more Indian than the mindful practice of yoga. If you are looking to teach Indian culture to preschoolers and older children, our balancing yogis are a must-have. This game combines balance, concentration, and competition with mindfulness and exercise. Who's ready to play?
Conclusion
By choosing Shumee’s traditional Indian wooden toys and wooden learning toys, you can teach Indian culture to preschoolers and older children. Kids can learn about toys in Indian culture and their significance. It will be a fun and hands-on way to explore Indian culture for kids. At Shumee, we create sustainable, non-toxic and handcrafted toys for kids that celebrate Inda’s artistic legacy. Browse our collection of Traditional Indian toys for babies and kids today!
Frequently Asked Questions On Traditional Indian Toys
1. How to teach Indian culture to kids?
You can teach Indian culture for kids through story telling, music and traditional Indian toys. Traditional toys and games make learning about Indian culture for children even more fun
2. How do you teach culture in a fun way?
Make teaching Indian culture for kids a fun and engaging activity. Stories, DIY art and craft kits, traditional toys and games can all make it interactive.
3. What are the 5 most important values in Indian culture?
The 5 most important values in Indian culture for kids are respect for elders, family bonding, diversity and harmony, spirituality and modesty.
4. What are the traditional childhood games in India?
Popular traditional toys and games in India include lattu, pallanguzhi, gilli-danda and chaupar. These games are a great way to introduce Indian culture for kids.