Happy Ugadi!

Greetings on the occasion of Ugadi!
Wish you a great year ahead!

Chennai is hot. But so many cool activities for kids this summers. Spread over all corners of the city.
Choose any one or two of these acitivites and enjoy the vacation!

Journalism workshops co-ordinated by an editor-publisher of newspapers

Please see revised post under Summer camps 2006 .

Jounalism workshops for senior school students (class 8 to 12)
At Adyar and Mylapore.
The workshop will cover English for communication, reporting, interviewing skills, writing the news and feature writing. The participants will be exposed to handson field and desk work. Apart from providing an introduction to journalism and news media, the workshop will be intensive with assignments to be done outside the workshop hours.
Outstanding writings will also be published in the neighbourhood newspapers.
The workshop is for 15 days (30 hours) and will begin on April 17.
Two hours a day 9 - 11 am, Monday to Friday.
Admission open to 20 young people.
Workshop is co-ordinated by Vincent D'Souza, Editor - Publisher of three community newspapers.
The workshops will be conducted at venues in Adyar (Indira Nagar) and Mylapore (R.A. Puram 3rd Main Road)
Fee - Rs. 1000 (non-refundable) to be paid on selection.
To register, send a report on anything you wish - a local store, a local event or a local person who interested you in 150 to 225 words. You will be selected for the workshop basing on this sample work.
Mail your reports to mylaporetimes@vsnl.com or call Ms. Parvathy at 24982244

Learn to say prayers!

Remember Goosey, goosey gander?
Well, but is it not nice to say a few words of thanks to God?
Classes in slokas and drawing for the young ones between 3 and 6 years will be conducted at Folks and Tribes, 13/6, Venus Colony First Street, Alwarpet, Chennai.
The classes (why can't we give another name? I hate 'classes'!!) will be held from April 3. 10 to 11.30 am.
Only 10 kids per session.
For details call 98444 58715 or 98410 07113

Carnatic Music camp at T. Nagar

Ramjhi's Isai Mazhalai is organising a Carnatic music camp for six weeks starting from April. 14.
This camp will train children who have already learnt 20 varnams and 30 keerthanas. They will train you in alapana and swarams and will give practice with pakka vadyams
The classes will be held at 57, Moosa Street, T. Nagar, six days a week from 10 am to 1 pm

For registration call: 24910501 / 24915753

Exciting Google Code Jam India contest

Is your brother, sister, mom, dad, uncle, aunt or your favourite teacher is good at computers?
Especially at Java and C++?
Go ahead and suggest this contest by google to them!

Google Code Jam India contest.

The goal of this contest is to encourage and reward the top talents in computer science in India

Registration will close on Monday, March 20, 2006 at 9:00AM IST.

Only participants who are 18 years of age or older as of March 20, 2006 are eligible to compete in the Championship Round and win prizes (cash or products). 1st prize is worth Rs.1,22,000!

Registrants who are 13 years of age or older as of March 20, 2006 may compete in the Qualification Round and Online Round 1 of the Google India Code Jam 2006

The tournament is a timed contest where all participants compete online to solve the same problems under the same time constraints. The competition is available in two programming languages - Java and C++.

They have a practice room for the contest, on their website - Competition arena.
This practice area mimics the functionality of the real competition.

Hurry to register! Go ahead and win prizes. . or make your dear ones win prizes!

Parasailing for kids

• Hippocampus, Chennai have organised a parasailing event, by the Palar river side, 25 kms beyond Mahabalipuram. The event is on March 19 at 2 pm - Yes, it is a Sunday! If you are interested in thriller activities, call Hippocampus at 24661544 or 94440 49175

Tell a story through puppets

Stories are fascinating. And if enacted through puppets, we all love them. Don't we?

• Paavai Centre for Puppetry is organising a workshop for kids above 8 years. Hey, you can take your parents too! This workshop will tell you all about the art of story telling - how and when to tell stories, finding stories, developing story telling skills and tips for story telling!

You will also be making simple puppets during the workshop. The workshop is on March 19, Sunday at Ashvita, 11, 2nd Street. Dr. Radhakrihnan Salai, Mylapore.
For details call Bhanumathi - 24350937 or 94444 86497

Summer camp at Villivakkam

Are your exams over? And you live in Villivakkam?
If yes, do check this out!

• A summer camp for kids aged between 4 and 12 is being organised by Sri Ambal Arts Academy, Villivakkam. The camp includes classes in yoga, drawing and colouring, craft, devotional and patriotic songs. For more details - contact 94440 10215

Online quiz by Penguin Books

Penguin Books India has come out with a quiz for kids, which is open for the registered users between Mar.1 to 31, 2006

Yes, you need to sign up to participate in the quiz. It is free.
The entries are to be submitted online. Log on to http://www.penguinbooksindia.com/quiz/aspquizcat.asp?type=0

This contest closes at 11.59 p.m. on 31st March 2006

By the way, you mom and dad can take the other quizes on the same website. And all in the family win prizes. Hows that?? - Hey there are two contests there!
http://www.penguinbooksindia.com/Quiz/aspQuizCat.asp?type=1
All the best!

Summer camp at Saligramam

If you are living away from all the hot spots od Summer camps, there is one here in Saligramam, this year!
Clarion Summer Camp
Venue: Clarence Matriculation School
1, Karunanidhi Road
Kaveri Rangan Nagar
Saligramam
Date: April 10 to May 5
Time: 9 am to 12 noon
Two camps for two age groups: 3 - 8 years and 9 14 years
A lot of activities promised:
For the age group 3 - 8 years:
Art, craft, computers and painting, film shows, chess, carrom and table tennis

For the age group 9 - 14 years:
Pot painting, wall hangings, fabric painting, tin foil work, wealth out of waste, embroidery, glass painting, puppet making and kolams

For registration call : 23762110 Mobile: 98402 79464

Summer certificate course in dance

If you love Indian dance, here is a chance to know the basics of many dance forms, this summer.

• Natyacharya's School of Music and Dance at 12A/16, Sakthi Nagar, II street, Choolaimedu conducts a 45 - day certificate course in music, dance and voice techniques.

Music will include Carnatic and Hindustani styles.
In dance Bharatanatyam. Kathak, Nattuvangam

For details call 23741154

City level Science Talent Exam

• City level Science Talent Search Exam is organised by St. John's English School and Junior College, Besant Nagar, on the occasion of the school's Silver Jubilee celebrations. The exam is open to CBSE, ICSE, matriculation and State board school students studying in classes IV to IX. The date of exam is March.18. For details contact: 98842 20128

Rock show at Book shop

• Ahana Book Store, Guindy is organising a Rock show by Powder in The Ashtray, at their store on March. 11, 2006 - 7pm. For details call 98400 47979 or 55391310

Ahana Book Store is at 117, Velachery Road, Guindy, Chennai

Summer Language Class - French

• Alliance Francaise of Madras announces Summer Crash Course in all its branches. Registration has begun:

For details contact Centre incharge : Ms. Suchitra Ravi"Ram Krish"Flat No.7, 16 3rd Cross StreetNehru Nagar, AdyarChennai 600 020Tel : 24912067 : Email - adyar@af-madras.org OR Corporation Shopping Complex 1st floor, III Avenue, Indira Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - 20. Phone: 42187336, 92822 34852

Plan your vacation, from now on...

Aavishkaar India is back with its annual nature camps. The camps start from April 22, 2006. Mark your dates! Bookings are on a first-come-first-served basis. If you are above 9 years of age you can participate in the camps. The destinations are:

April 22 - 23 : Karadimalai - Rs. 1250
April 26 - 30 : Kodaikanal - Rs. 2450
April 30 - May 4 : Wayanad - Rs. 2650
May 4 - 8 : Thekkady - Rs. 2550
May 8 - 12 : Anamalai - Rs. 2550
May 12 - 16 - Mudumalai : Rs. 2550

For bookings call - 9282106618

Take a break from books!

• Turtle Walks: Students Sea Turtles Conservation Network arranges for Turtle walks on Fridays and Saturdays. The walks are between Neelankarai beach to Besant Nagar beach. From midnight to 4am. To participate call Arun - 24901019 or 9884053854

• 'Kalki's comedy live on stage: 'Kanaiyazhiyin Kanavu' by 'Kalki' Krishnamurthy written in the 1940s will be staged as a musical play - 'Rural Phantasy' on March 11 and 12 at 7.15pm at the Museum Thatre, Egmore. A special show for students on March.11 at 3pm. The play is directed by Gowri Ramnarayan, produced by the Madras Players and Just Us Repertory. Live carnatic music by T.M. Krishna and Sangeetha Krishana accompanying the play and the dance choreographed by Lasya Narasimhachari. Donor passes Rs.200 and 100 available at Landmark, Nungambakkam (Spl. Students show- Rs.50) For details call 9840080783, 9381911977

Look at this at the earliest!

The Greenheart Project Japan has announced poster, postcard and flash design contest for 2005-2006. All Indian entries must be sent to 4/8, Rukmani Street, U.R Nagar, CHENNAI - 600 050.
Phone : 91-44-2654 7736
Fax : 91-44-2654 7717

Last Date for receipt of entries ; March 31, 2006

Check these out on March 5, 2006

• To have an intimate connection with nature and wildlife and to sign up for a project 'Save our stripes' - Call the organisers: Geetha Mahadevan at 93810 94736 or mail to geetha@wildventures.com
• To get advice on higher education - for plus two and 12th std students - an edufair is being conducted on March 25 and 26 at Chinmaya Heritage Centre, Harrington Road. Visit www.guide2education.com

Welcome kids! And moms and dads too!

Here I will try to tell you, what the kids of Chennai can go out to see, dine, play and participate. And I will try to tell you about the events as soon as I come to know. But, yes, sometimes it may be on that day evening. Please pardon me in those cases.

Also allow me sometime to gather news and places. Till then I might tell you about what you can do online or just read books sitting inside your cosy room!

And love you kids, if you also tell me about what you want me to include here!

Happy outing!