While the COVID-19 pandemic has robbed us of many experiences that we were looking forward to, it has been a lot harder on toddlers, who are just entering school. 
The learning milestone for preschoolers across India has taken a hit, and their first classroom experience, where they are taught everything from how to hold a pencil to socialising with peers, has been put on hold. Naturally, this has parents anxious.  

Yoko Rai, music educator and professional ventriloquist, admitted her son Zac, 5, to Borivli’s Don Bosco School last year, thinking  he would be able to enjoy all the amenities the school had to offer. However, due to the pandemic, the classes shifted online. One of the biggest challenges she faced during this time was handing over an electronic gadget to her son. “At this point, you want children to see, learn and explore things physically. To suddenly hand him a mobile or laptop makes me uncomfortable,” she says. To create a conducive environment for learning, Rai has arranged for a coffee table and chair for Zac, so that he knows this is where his virtual school is. “Since class interaction is minimal, it’s really difficult for these kids to make friends online. I realised Zac was having trouble bonding with his classmates.” To get him out of his shell, she has signed him up for another side class, where kids his age are allowed to interact as much as they want. There’s no structure followed, and the teacher is allowed to indulge the kids.