Maya Jar-ta
Maya Jar
Objective:
An interesting and insightful activity, designed to enlighten children regarding prioritisation of tasks and time management.
Related Values:
- Spirit of Enquiry
- Discrimination
- Decision-making
- Co-operation
Materials Required:
- 2 vessels/jars of the same size
- Pebbles/marbles
- Gravel
- Sand/dry soil
- Water (Equal amounts of each in separate cups)
Preparatory work for the Guru:
None
How to Play
- The Guru divides her class into two groups.
- Each group receives a similar container (the maya jar) along with some pebbles, gravel, sand, and water.
- The challenge is to fit everything into the jar in the shortest possible time.
- The group that completes this task first scores maximum points.
Tips to Gurus:
- Once each group has filled the jar, to discuss with them about their decision-making processes
- How did they decide the order in which to put the four items in the jar?
- Any specific reason for choosing this order?
- Or did they do everything at random?
- If so, what difficulty was faced by them?
- The children realise that the groups that emerged successful are obviously those that started with the pebbles, followed with the gravel and then the sand, and ended with the water, i.e. in the right order.
- The Guru then proceeds to use this task to teach them the need to prioritize and organize their tasks for each day.
- The activity shows the necessity of beginning with the crucial tasks, then completing the necessary but less-pressing work, and ending with the least important activities.
- This applies to everything in life, in order to avoid stress and be successful!!
- It is also a lesson on effective planning and time management, for ‘Time wasted is life wasted’ as our Bhagavan often reminds us!!