The series named as Young Explorer, stars little angels Mokshada & Ahaan from Pune
Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF) released the Young Explorer video series showcasing city life as experienced by three-year-olds. In five short films, toddlers take you along their daily hometown journeys in two very different cities – Pune in India and Recife in Brazil. Join Mokshada and Ahaan from Pune as they travel around the streets with their caregivers (parents) and share the opportunities and challenges they encounter every day.
Today, more than a billion children live in cities. Cities can be wonderful places to grow up in, but they can also pose serious challenges for the health and well-being of babies, toddlers and the people who care for them – from a lack of nature and safe spaces to play, to air pollution and traffic congestion, to social isolation.
Commenting on the Young Explorer series, Ms. Rushda Majeed India representative, BvLF said, “Children are the future and it is important that we take care of their well-being at an early age. Babies and toddlers living in urban areas increasingly face challenges that can deprive them of opportunities to play and learn from their physical environment. Parents and other caregivers can find it challenging and stressful to navigate neighbourhoods and cities with their young children. On the other hands, cities can offer marvellous opportunities for babies and toddlers to explore, interact-with and learn from the sights, sounds and fellow residents of the city. Through the eyes of these ‘Young Explorers’ in Pune, we want to highlight how young children and their caregivers navigate city life in a rapidly urbanising environment. And urge people to think about how their cities can enable young children to able to learn and grow in an engaging and safe environment.”
Pune has more than 3 million residents, including families with young children. It is one of India’s fastest growing cities where young children and their families can prosper with increased access to green areas, open spaces, clean air and ease of navigation through dense traffic. The ‘Young Explorers’ video series aims to put a spotlight on the need for safe, healthy and playful neighborhoods for babies, toddlers, and their families in our fast-changing cities.
