Exploring India’s Diversity: A Three-Day Journey with the primary Kids

Over the past three days, I had the opportunity to conduct a geography-based learning session with the Bloom Primary group (ages 5–7). What began as a simple exploration activity soon turned into an engaging, energetic, and deeply insightful learning experience, for both the children and me.

Introducing the 29 States of India

Using the book on India’s 29 states, we explored what makes each state unique; its food, clothing, monuments, art forms, and cultural identity. I provided the children with two maps:

1.⁠ ⁠A labelled map with all states for reference

2.⁠ ⁠An unlabelled outline map, where they were encouraged to identify and sketch items related to each state

Each child selected one element from every state; a monument, a food item, a famous warrior, or something that caught their attention. They then read about their chosen element, either from the book or by independently searching.

A Surprising Level of Curiosity

This session was particularly meaningful because it was the first time I worked with this specific group of boys; lively, high-energy, and always on their toes. While that energy could have made the session challenging, it actually brought a refreshing enthusiasm to the classroom.

To my surprise, the boys not only stayed focused but became deeply invested in the work. They remembered the activity on the following day and eagerly asked if they could continue it—something that felt extremely rewarding as a facilitator.

Discoveries That Excited Them

One of the most delightful moments was watching them dive into the concept of Union Territories. Their curiosity led them to compare old and new maps, where they noticed that Telangana wasn’t shown as a state in one version. This discovery sparked a conversation about how Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh, and how new maps represent this change.

They also began counting the states ending with “-pradesh.” Their excitement when they realized that there are five of them— Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh, was priceless.

Beyond Geography: A Multi-Dimensional Exploration

The activity went far beyond locating states on a map. The children independently explored:

Foods from various states, Traditional clothing, Famous warriors and leaders, Monuments and architectural wonders, Languages and cultural practices

Each discovery became a moment of joy; shared aloud, compared, questioned, and discussed. It created a rich atmosphere of learning where every child felt encouraged to contribute.

A Facilitator’s Moment of Fulfilment

For me, this three-day session was truly heartwarming. Watching the boys who are typically energetic and sometimes difficult to settle; sit down, research, question, draw, and express their findings was a remarkable experience. Their willingness to come back and continue the project showed me how meaningful the learning had been for them.

This experience reaffirmed the power of hands-on, inquiry-based learning, and reminded me that when children are given space to explore, their curiosity can lead them to discoveries far beyond what we plan for.