How offline games and activities are helping people to relearn the art of playing in Tiruchi

Oxford University Press recently named ‘brain rot’ its phrase of the year. Brain rot describes the impact of consuming hours of online content, especially social media, on a person’s mental processes.

For a few years now, scientists have also spoken about the ‘popcorn brain’, a fragmented mental state that results from endless multitasking and processing of information in the modern world.

For families that have become accustomed, if not addicted, to getting entertained only through electronic content, this signifies a need for change. The solution is simple — it’s time to reset, and switch off the devices to rediscover old-school fun through books and playtime.

We meet some residents of Tiruchi who are engaging parents and children in screen-free pastimes.

Having a good time

As parents of twins, Sriram Shankar and Jaisri Raju have experienced the difficulty of keeping children engaged , and also encouraging families to spend time together offline.

“When we were growing up, it was common for households to plan outings to the cinema. We would enjoy the whole experience, from watching the film to buying popcorn during the interval and then choosing a restaurant for dinner afterwards. This habit has slowly faded in recent years; nobody wants to socialise, even within their own families,” says Jaisri.

The couple decided to establish a company called ‘Balakridaa’, which promotes screen-free entertainment. Their first venture, launched in May 2023, was the Bouncy House — a play zone for children equipped with facilities that allows kids aged three to nine years to enjoy an hourly session of physical activity, under the supervision of trained staff.

“The children enjoy playing with other kids, and exploring the different sections. Having fun is the main thing, despite the occasional falls and spills,” says Shruti, who supervises the sessions at Bouncy House.

Free workshops on art and crafts are also part of the activities.

Based on feedback from parents and older children, Balakridaa brought in ResQRoom, which sets up participants in three fictional puzzle-solving scenarios : a bank heist, a murder mystery and a jailbreak. The specially designed facility is open to players aged nine years and older. The fictional scenarios will change annually, to keep things interesting.

“The experience is designed to enhance teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills while avoiding immersive screen-based scenarios and arcade gaming consoles. Though we had originally planned it for families, we are opening up the ResQRoom to corporate clients for company retreats, because it helps people to bond,” says Sriram.

Both Bouncy House and ResQRoom franchises of successful brands based in Tirupur and Pune respectively, have brought a zing to family outings in Tiruchi. They are located in St. Paul’s Complex, Bharathiyar Salai.

For the love of literacy

On a recent Saturday, a group of children aged between three to seven belonging to the newly launched Creative Chronicle literacy club in Tiruchi, were all ears as they listened to the story Gajapathi Kulapathi (by Ashok Rajagopalan) being read out by a teacher. For an hour, their hands and minds will be busy with activities related to the elephant, the story’s protagonist.

Watching the children explore the nuances of literature and learn to read independently is Creative Chronicle’s founder Fazrina Mansoor, an anesthesiologist by profession, based in Tiruchi since 2018, and a mother of two young children.

The literacy club, established in September, was inspired by her five-year-old son’s avid interest in stories and reading, and the lack of suitable spaces in Tiruchi for this age group of readers.

“In the digital era, there’s a lot of information available on social media, but the depth of knowledge being imparted is often questionable. Creative Chronicle offers an opportunityfor young children to learn how to read and understand language in a non-competitive atmosphere, and without electronic devices,” says Fazrina. “Even a three-year-old who is not yet able to read can benefit from passive listening, which nurtures an interest in reading.”

Creative Chronicle has a team of three teachers who handle the group’s weekly sessions, based on stories and concepts suitable for its young participants.

“We allow parents to attend, but request them to maintain a distance so that their children can socialise with others. The mixed age groups allow older children to help the little ones with the tasks,” says Fazrina.

The literacy club will provide a platform to enhance school lessons. “While schools routinely teach children how to read, additional skills such as writing a story, composing a poem or making a speech in public can only be nurtured through literacy clubs, outside the traditional classroom setting,” she says.