By Carolina de la Cajiga
Would we function better if we expressed what makes us happy, and got rid of our sadness and frustrations at the crack of dawn? It doesn’t cost anything to try.
«Knowing how to handle feelings is as important as learning numbers, letters, or anything else,» points out Carolina Manrique González, better known as Kakum (stress on the a), director of Bombini, a kindergarten in Zirándaro. «We all have good and bad days. We should learn to regulate our moods early in life, as this puts us on the right track from the start. Art is helpful in developing the habit of externalizing our state of mind without constraints. It stimulates our sensitivity and socioemotional skills,» mentions Kakum.
The bombinis, as Kakum calls her disciples, begin their school day with a song thanking the sun, and motivating themselves to be their best. The melody was composed by Kakum’s maternal grandmother when she was a child. Next, the bombinis reflect on their emotions through drawing. “Picasso once said, all children are artists, but sadly, society takes that away as we grow.” Raising her eyes, and with an impish smile, she manifests, I’m trying to put a stop to this”.
Her philosophy is that her students, (ages three to eight), learn organically, through free expression and play. Depending on their age and preference, each kid eventually covers all required subjects. «Children’s minds are like sponges. They pick up everything de volón (extremely fast), says Kakum. Because of relations she established while living in Canada, her students are Mexican and Canadian, but all nationalities are welcome. In class, they speak English for the most part.
Care for the environment is a priority at Bombini. In keeping with ancient Mexican tradition to not let anything go to waste, plus the world’s current emergency, the bombinis recycle paper, cardboard, plastics, lids, and more to turn into educational materials. Out of these recycled materials, Kakun creates, amongst other objects, uvinis and restinis–teaching tools that help children enter the world of mathematics in a fun way, using the mind, sight, and touch. «Together we built a puppet theater and a bird feeder with salvaged stuff,” says Kakum. “With ecological bricks, we are now making chairs, which is a way to introduce 3D and architectural principles.»
Children love recycling. «They come to school with a bonche (bunch–Mexican Anglicism) of items they want to transform and give new life to–something we lost with the advent of Industrialization. The kids have fashioned countless toys. Using their minds and hands–increases their imagination, and enhances their dexterity,» Kakum explains proudly.
A box full of costumes is the gateway to a magical world where pupils pick a role they want to play. The possibility of imaginary travel opens the likelihood of unexpected dialogue which leads to learning about history, geography, social sciences, and more. All while having fun. «Learning without knowing they are learning. How wonderful!» exclaims Kakun with an impish grin.
«The pandemic felt like an eternity to the little ones. Not being able to socialize and play freely made them sad. I suffered seeing my children and others sitting in front of a computer, trying to study. Unable to have interpersonal relationships,» Kakum recalls. «I am happy the world managed to get over that period, and we’re almost back to normal.”
Kakum carries on, «At Bombini, we strive to foster experiences that encourage children to socialize and collaborate with each other. One of the activities children enjoys the most is lunchtime–sharing food and chatting. This is an opportunity to learn from others.» Each child and family get to prepare the food for a week. Being the ‘host’ excites them, and they keep secret what they will share. A simple meal becomes a festivity.
«We vary the curriculum according to the interest of the bombinis. For example, for a little girl passionate about cats, I designed a game including cats to teach her how to divide”, Kakum says with satisfaction.» In our small garden, the children study Nature and the responsibility of taking care of others. Through the plants, they study the biological cycle of life: reproduction, germination, development, death, and the restart of a new cycle. They also observe the effects of the changing seasons, according to the rotation of the earth. We plant a variety of fruits and vegetables we later eat together.» They have fun planting, watering, composting, and making potions to feed the plants. They also learn to sort out garbage, and how to produce less of it.
After so much activity, it’s time to relax. Each bombini has his or her own mat to meditate on and do deep breathing. «Once the batteries have been recharged, we do sensory activities such as playing with dough, ice, and peeled fruits with closed eyes. This is messy and lots of fun. While doing this, they practice numbers and letters, or whatever else we think of,» describes Kakum obviously proud of her accomplishments.
«I love what I do. With this project, I have found my purpose in life. It fills my soul. What gives me the most pleasure is instilling in each child a sense of confidence that will remain with them for the rest of their lives,» Kakum says with great joy, «I created the curriculum based on the experiences with my two children and my studies in art and dance. I also have the support of my mom and several aunts, all preschool teachers, who are experts in developing children’s emotional competence.»
Find Kakum on Facebook under Bombini Aprende Jugando; and on Instagram as bombini.aprendejugando.
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