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‘ MamaSima activities ’
a children’s book series for fun, innovative learning experience
By Israa Radaydeh, Jordan News
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AMMAN — "MamaSima activities” is a book series created in the Arabic language for children aged 1-15
years to provide a learning experience through fun and play while promoting
children’s innovative thinking and imagination.اضافة اعلان
The five-part activity series titled Science Experiments, Colors, Slime, Playdough, and Sensory Play are illustrated with pictures that stimulate children’s curiosity to engage in activities and experiments with ease.
(Photo: Handout from Sima Al-Najjar)
Authored by Sima Al-Najjar, a mother of three, and creator of a Youtube channel also named “Mama Sima”, the book series came to respond to frequently asked questions that Najjar receives from mothers who are unable to track a certain video or a certain topic.
“Creating this series was the result of the most frequent question I get “how can I find this video on your channel,” Sima told Jordan News.
On her channel Sima, a mother of three, posts content for mothers and children, mostly sharing her experience with her children and the activities they undertake together.
A shortage of Arabic language content, whether online or in print, encouraged Najjar to create the books in Arabic, using simple, clear, and easy language alongside images to create a rich and fun learning process and a unique experience. “Children love pictures because images get their attention more easily,” Najjar noted.
Screens vs books
Technology, according to Najjar, is a powerful learning tool, but books remain essential for kids, especially when they are illustrated with exciting pictures. By printing the activity series, Najjar sought to steer children away from screens and encourage their connection with nature through sensory experiences that help them discover nature’s basic elements; water, air, and earth.
(Photo: Handout from Sima Al-Najjar)
“Social media is a big world, and kids are very attached to it, but in order to get them to experience nature I created these books to promote learning through play and fun methods,” said Najjar.
The books include 120 different activities that help develop children’s skills, build their creative abilities and sensory muscles, while also introducing them to chemistry and physics foundations through simple science experiments. “Most ingredients needed for the experiments can be found in the kitchen,” noted Najjar.
Parent-child bonding
As in her Youtube videos, Najjar is seen playing with her kids and sharing experiences of fun and learning with them in the activity series. She hopes that her personal experience would inspire other parents to share similar experiences and bonds with their children.
“These books are full of activities that I played with my kids, I made sure to make them as simple and easy as possible through clear instructions, pictures, and QR code for a short videos. The activities illustrated in the series will definitely encourage parents to share time with their kids through safe playing,” assured Najjar.
(Photo: Handout from Sima Al-Najjar)
Children with allergies can also have fun
Najjar is also attentive to the fact that some children have allergies to certain substances, but she says that allergies should not stop them from learning or having fun.
“I also listed several activities for children with allergies, I want all kids to have fun, as a mother I know how hard it is to find safe activities for our kids and how much mothers struggle to create a safe environment for some fragile children.”
There are warning signs that indicate if the activity contains any allergic elements, and there are alternative options available to facilitate the choice of activity for them,” said Najjar.
Playing for healthier, smarter kids
According to child psychologists, playing promotes healthier child development and is a basic child’s right. It allows children to use their imagination and creativity; and when parents play with their children, they form a special bond, which allows them to feel more secure.
Moreover, playing at an early age helps a child interact with the world around them, and arises in them the curiosity to explore and learn, which in turn helps them conquer their fears, develop new competencies, and build self-esteem and resilience.
(Photo: Handout from Sima Al-Najjar)
When children play, they release negative energy, anger, emotions, stress and replace all that with joy and healthier, more positive vibes.
Communication is another key factor in children’s play; it enhances their communication skills with their peers, parents and the world around them.
Last but not least, playing is key for children’s physical fitness whether through, jumping, running, and all kinds of movement, thus promoting the development of motor skills, balance, muscle building and control.
Read more Entertainment
The five-part activity series titled Science Experiments, Colors, Slime, Playdough, and Sensory Play are illustrated with pictures that stimulate children’s curiosity to engage in activities and experiments with ease.
(Photo: Handout from Sima Al-Najjar)
Authored by Sima Al-Najjar, a mother of three, and creator of a Youtube channel also named “Mama Sima”, the book series came to respond to frequently asked questions that Najjar receives from mothers who are unable to track a certain video or a certain topic.
“Creating this series was the result of the most frequent question I get “how can I find this video on your channel,” Sima told Jordan News.
On her channel Sima, a mother of three, posts content for mothers and children, mostly sharing her experience with her children and the activities they undertake together.
A shortage of Arabic language content, whether online or in print, encouraged Najjar to create the books in Arabic, using simple, clear, and easy language alongside images to create a rich and fun learning process and a unique experience. “Children love pictures because images get their attention more easily,” Najjar noted.
Screens vs books
Technology, according to Najjar, is a powerful learning tool, but books remain essential for kids, especially when they are illustrated with exciting pictures. By printing the activity series, Najjar sought to steer children away from screens and encourage their connection with nature through sensory experiences that help them discover nature’s basic elements; water, air, and earth.
(Photo: Handout from Sima Al-Najjar)
“Social media is a big world, and kids are very attached to it, but in order to get them to experience nature I created these books to promote learning through play and fun methods,” said Najjar.
The books include 120 different activities that help develop children’s skills, build their creative abilities and sensory muscles, while also introducing them to chemistry and physics foundations through simple science experiments. “Most ingredients needed for the experiments can be found in the kitchen,” noted Najjar.
Parent-child bonding
As in her Youtube videos, Najjar is seen playing with her kids and sharing experiences of fun and learning with them in the activity series. She hopes that her personal experience would inspire other parents to share similar experiences and bonds with their children.
“These books are full of activities that I played with my kids, I made sure to make them as simple and easy as possible through clear instructions, pictures, and QR code for a short videos. The activities illustrated in the series will definitely encourage parents to share time with their kids through safe playing,” assured Najjar.
(Photo: Handout from Sima Al-Najjar)
Children with allergies can also have fun
Najjar is also attentive to the fact that some children have allergies to certain substances, but she says that allergies should not stop them from learning or having fun.
“I also listed several activities for children with allergies, I want all kids to have fun, as a mother I know how hard it is to find safe activities for our kids and how much mothers struggle to create a safe environment for some fragile children.”
There are warning signs that indicate if the activity contains any allergic elements, and there are alternative options available to facilitate the choice of activity for them,” said Najjar.
Playing for healthier, smarter kids
According to child psychologists, playing promotes healthier child development and is a basic child’s right. It allows children to use their imagination and creativity; and when parents play with their children, they form a special bond, which allows them to feel more secure.
Moreover, playing at an early age helps a child interact with the world around them, and arises in them the curiosity to explore and learn, which in turn helps them conquer their fears, develop new competencies, and build self-esteem and resilience.
(Photo: Handout from Sima Al-Najjar)
When children play, they release negative energy, anger, emotions, stress and replace all that with joy and healthier, more positive vibes.
Communication is another key factor in children’s play; it enhances their communication skills with their peers, parents and the world around them.
Last but not least, playing is key for children’s physical fitness whether through, jumping, running, and all kinds of movement, thus promoting the development of motor skills, balance, muscle building and control.
Read more Entertainment
