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Celebrate Republic Day with a colourful spice map of India

It’s a fun and creative way to teach your child about the different states of our country

Celebrate Republic Day with a unique DIY this year. Team up with your little one and make the map of India with colourful spices and lentils. The idea is to take an assortment of lentils like masoor, moong, urad, chana, along with spices common in Indian households like clove, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, mustard — both black and yellow, nigella seeds, carrom seeds, and so on. The next step is to take a political map of India (not a physical map — the political map has the states outlined, which makes it easier to fill up with the lentils and spices). Collaborate with your child to place the colourful lentils and spices onto each state. As you do, also teach them about the names of the lentils, spices and the states of India.

— Pooja Mitra