When was the last time you played ludo, scrabble, snakes & ladders or, for that matter, chess? Well, most of us won’t even remember, thanks to the declining interest in the traditional games which have now been ‘run over’ by their digital counterparts: X Box, Play Station and what not.

Neighbourhoods are fast turning into ghost towns because kids don’t come out to play. Cashing in on the trend are the electronic and PC games companies that are fervently pushing for expansion of their market. The paradigm shift in the recreational habits of the younger generation is worrying both experts and parents, who feel that old-time games are much better in stimulating child’s imagination.

Science speak Researchers at the University of Adelaide have found that the shift towards electronic toys and computer games stops a child from being creative. “The role of the child in play becomes more reactive,” says Dr Jon Jureidini, a child psychiatrist at the varsity, adding that the danger is that children aren’t having as much stimulation to their imagination and creativity.

Play pluses Scrabble improves memory, enhances language skills and exercises the mind muscles for long-term learning and retention Chess develops logical thinking, promotes imagination and creativity, independence, develops the capability to foresee consequences of actions and inspires self-motivation.

Great indoor ideas Monopoly Uno Carrom Chess Scrabble Snakes & ladders Hide and seek Ludo

“The concept of games has undergone a sea change in all these years,” says Praveen Sharada, a reader in PU. She fondly recalls her childhood time that was spent playing traditional games like ludo, snakes and ladders and dollhouse. “We also used to read Enid Blyton a lot. But all that has changed now. It’s an era of computer games today, where fun is just a mouse-click away,” says the mother of two. But she strongly feels that digital games promote the couch-potato culture which can be disastrous for children. “PC games are just like any other consumer product that thrive on advertisements and peer pressure,” says Sharda, adding that the ‘element of delight’ is missing from the play now.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, a homemaker from Sector 2, seconds her. “I clearly remember doing loads of physical activity in my childhood. The very nature of the games like hide and seek, kite-flying etc promoted exercise in one way or the other,” quips the woman, who is not very happy with the present game culture. “It only leads to weight gain and weak eyesight,” she says. Sekhon firmly feels that the onus lies on parents. “We should not switch on a cartoon channel or put a game on the computer just to keep kids busy,” she warns.

“The prime feature of any game that we played in childhood was involvement of others. It promoted team spirit and cooperation. However, today kids are happy playing computer games that generally don’t need people’s company,” says Harinder Mohan, a freelance writer. “Traditional games offer an attractive way to educate. They are good because they give children an opportunity to learn and have a lot of fun at the same time. That’s where we need creative teachers, who can reduce the overdependency of kids on electronic games. This can simply be done by creating new games,” he opines.

Gurdip K. Dhir, city-based psychologist, refers to games as a series of interactions with predictable transactions and concealed motivation at winning. “Earlier, games focused on social interaction. This aspect is clearly missing in computer games. Also, overexposure to violence makes kids insensitive to negativity like blood shed as well,” she points out. Regarding outdoor games, Dhir says they definitely have an edge over the indoor activities. “But then the trick is to focus on those games that address the conative (activity related), affective (relating to emotional aspect) and cognitive (related to mental process) aspects,” she adds.

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It is said that before you die, your whole life flashes in front of you. So, I don't want any regrets." The intensity of such a statement reflects on the strong character of the person making it. Though, the underlying meaning here would hint towards years of experience, living through the good and the bad, here is somebody whose age is lesser than even the total words in the statement. And so we have a 15-year-old Kamya Chaudhary intimidating us further by saying, "If we sacrifice just a bit of our self-love, it will become so easy to love others." Deep, indeed, but the girl joins the list of young humanitarians who have a job at hand during the summer break. That of spreading a cause.

Starting young, these school going children already are active social torchbearers and finding. No tall claims of bringing about a phenomenal change, they believe in small yet significant steps towards a better future. Like Kamya, who turned her birthday into a reason to smile for slum kids. "My motivation was my mother who herself felt for a cause. All my fifteen birthdays would mean a day of celebration with slum kids from Colony no.5. From enjoying a mini langar to fun games and activities, it is enjoyment in real sense," she says. Some of the kids have actually grown with her, regular invitees every year and what gives her a high, "That they remember me," she says. A student of Vivek High School, Kamya's classmates might throw a ash at some fancy restaurant or demand expensive gifts, but for her true happiness means a day out with underprivileged friends. "It's more fun than hanging out with friends or just roaming here and there, wasting time and money in the name of enjoyment," she adds. Her regular interactions with students of Pushpak, a school for underprivileged would include planning activities, enacting plays, art and craft sessions and sandwiches from Monica's. She also visits orphanages, teaches English to the inmates and is a volunteer for Balwadi, a NGO in Gurgaon. "Once I took the orphan kids to my horse riding club. They were so excited and loved the whole experience, something that made my day as well," she shares.

Another young comrade in love with his humane side is Aditya Sharma, a !3-year-old student from Army School Chandimandir. This student turns a teacher during his summer breaks and it an idea that excites him more than video games or adventure outing. "I used to teach my maid's kids during my summer holidays. And now, most of my evenings are spent teaching English and Maths to kids from the nearby slum areas," he says. So, how does he manage being a tutor and to be tutored as well. "Sometimes my friends to volunteer. So it's easy, and also summer break means we have time on our hands," he says. Theatre Age too is home to the causeratti kids of city. "Summer break is the right time to channelise the young energy as children have less burden and more time to explore themselves. We have activities staring from 9 am to 8pm, involving school kids, volunteers and slum kids which include teaching English to slum kids and honing their theatrical skills," says Zulfikar Khan.

And it's not just the effort that they put in but also manage the budget for their funding. "I have a group of friends and some of my classmates who sit together and plan activities and generate money for them," says Kamya. Similarly, Aditya too saves money for his cause, "Sometimes it's our pocket money. But when gets a bit out of hand, my parents help me." Cause working well, the effect looks satisfying.

The big daddy of entrances, IIT-JEE's results were out not more than a fortnight ago. A bit of a disappointment in the air since the top ten positions eluded the tricity, which had 10,000 students appearing for the test. We ask the students: how do they feel? Does coaching promise good results or is it incomparable to self-study?

Hundreds of students of a top Japanese university are getting sat-nav iPhones, so that it's easier to track them down in case they skip classes. Usually, students fake attendance by getting friends to answer proxy roll-call or hand in signed attendance cards.

But now, Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo has found a solution to reel in students back into classes-they are giving Apple's iPhone 3G to 550 students in its School of Social Informatics, which studies the use of internet and computer technologyin society.

Not only the hi-tech gadget will work as a tool for studies, but the GPS (a satellite navigation system) present in the phone can check on its whereabouts automatically.

And thus, it could act as a convenient way to prove attendance, reports The Daily Express.

However, there is one glitch-truants could still fake attendance by giving their iPhone to a friend who goes to classes.

But the university has claimed that youngsters are unlikely to lend the hi-tech mobile phones, which are packed with personal information and email. — ANI

There are reports that Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif has been picked to grace the Barbie Museum in New York.

The Barbie Museum has decided to put up a sculpted figure of Katrina decked in a Barbie costume.

“The news of Katrina Barbie is true. Ever since Kats walked the ramp in Barbie avatar at the Mumbai Fashion Week in March, her fans across the globe have been raving about her and the management of Barbie Museum decided to unveil a Katrina Barbie doll, resembling her looks and styling, in her honor,” a source close to the development said.

If that happens, Katrina will be the first Indian to join the ranks of international hotties like Beyonce Knowles and Diana Ross whose Barbie dolls are showcased in the museum.

When Kats was informed about the news, she reacted excitedly. “I’m thrilled! The customized Barbie being made for the American museum will be just like me. As a kid I used to play with Barbie dolls - which girl hasn’t? Almost every household has one. It’s every little girl’s dream companion,” the Bollywood bombshell, who’s currently busy shooting for films like New York, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Padosan Remake, 7 Days In Paris, Maya, Blue and Rajniti, said.

“Slumdog Millionaire” star Freida Pinto expressed a desire to work with Bollywood’s talented filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar’s film and the director says he is flattered and the he would “love to work with her”.

It all started when Freida in an interview to the international press said that she would do a Bollywood film only if it was a Bhandarkar film.

“I’m quite flattered to hear Freida wants to work with me. I think she is aware of my female-oriented cinema. She must have seen the performances that Tabu and Konkona Sen Sharma gave in ‘Chandni Bar’ and ‘Page 3’. I’d love to work with Freida,” Bhandarkar said.

“Today, I’m at a stage where an actress of Freida’s international popularity singles me out. I guess I must’ve done something right in these 10 years as a director. Can you imagine the kind of potboilers I’d be making if my first film ‘Trishakti’ had clicked?”

Bhandarkar is currently busy shooting for “Jail” with Neil Nitin Mukesh and Mugdha Godse. — IANS

“Slumdog Millionaire,” which won a leading eight Oscars in February, went into Sunday’s MTV Movie awards with six nominations but came away empty-handed.

Vampire movie “Twilight” took the honors at the event, but it was an unscripted stunt involving “Borat” actor Sacha Baron Cohen and singer Eminem that stole the live show.

“Twilight” swept up five awards, including Best Movie, Best Kiss and Best Fight at the irreverent fan-driven event where viewers had a sneak preview of the movie’s forthcoming sequel “New Moon.”

Australia’s Heath Ledger won the award for Best Villain,adding to the slew of trophies awarded to the “Dark Knight” actor after his death in January, 2008.

But it was the outrageous Cohen, promoting his upcoming movie “Bruno” in which the British actor plays a gay Austrian fashionista, who brought the house down.

Sweeping high above the studio on a harness, Cohen hit anobstacle, spun down toward the audience and landed face down in the lap of Eminem, exposing his naked bottom to both the white rapper and to millions of viewers watching the awards show live on television.MTV said Eminem stormed out “in a heated rage” after the

incident at the Gibson Amphitheatre near Los Angeles where the live awards show was taking place.The MTV winners get a golden popcorn statuette. — Reuters

R&B superstar Rihanna’s naked picture scandal cost her the chance to be on the coveted cover of Vogue.

The 21-year-old who has graced numerous magazine covers wanted to be on the cover of fashion bible Vogue and had spoken to editor Anna Wintour regarding the same when they met at the Metropolitan Gallery of Art’s annual Costume Institute Gala, reported Star magazine.

“Anna told her Vogue absolutely loves her and really wanted to work with her. Rihanna was ecstatic.But ever since the nude photo scandal emerged, Anna hasn’t returned any of her calls. Rihanna is so upset. She hopes the people at Vogue change their minds,” a friend of the star told the magazine. — PTI

Now enjoy delicious food by Nirula's in Pathankot. Nirula's launched its 1st outlet in the city on the Jammu - Madhopur highway. The presence of this Family Style Restaurant on NH 1A will serve both people from nearby cities like Pathankot and Madhopur. The outlet will be a suitable stopping point for travellers on their way up North to places like Vaishno Devi, Kashmir, Leh, Ladakh and many other tourist destinations.

Nirula's strength lies in the variety of food it offers including Indian as well as international dishes like thalis, kebabs, pizzas, burgers, beverages, ice creams and much more. With a seating capacity of 106, this family style restaurant will serve a wide variety of food — TNS

Inspired by the changing grooming behavior of Indian men, Garnier launches Garnier Men PowerLight – an exclusive range of male skin care products. For Garnier Worldwide, India is the first country of launch for this range.

In keeping with the Garnier philosophy, this product range is a blend of science and technology with the best ingredients nature has to offer.

Enriched with extracts of lemon and Long Dan, and boosted with SPF 15, the moisturiser reveals visibly fairer and smoother skin immediately. The formula with lemon extract helps eliminate the dark and dead cells that make skin look dull and uneven. It includes Garnier Men PowerLight Oil Control, which is a six-hour oil control plus fairness moisturiser formulated with lemon extract and mineral clay. The other product is a fairness face wash enriched with anti-oxidant grapewater that cleanses the skin of impurities and pollutants. Available at Rs 150 for 50 gms and Rs 125 for 100g, respectively.

Finally there is an innovative deodorant exclusively for men, Nivea for Men Silver Protect Deodorant, featuring sophisticated scientific technology for highly effective protection against body odor. Silver Protect exploits the antibacterial power of silver molecules. These highly active molecules eliminate odor-forming micro-organisms. This stops body odor from being produced in the first place. And though the silver molecules are tough on bacteria and odor, they are extremely mild and gentle to the delicate skin of the underarm.

The spray has a futuristic design with gleaming silver highlights, representing the new dimension in deodorant.

The deodorant is priced at Rs 149 and is available at departmental stores across the country. — TNS