The Art of Unplugging: Why Kalyani Emphasizes Play, Sports, and the Great Outdoors

- Alisha Jain, VIII C

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” – Anne Lamott

Whenever my parents start talking about reducing screen time, my first reaction is usually, "Here we go again, phones are bad, screens are tiring, go play outside.” I’ve heard it so many times, that it almost stops meaning anything. But after spending 2 years juggling online classes, homework, and way too much scrolling - which I’m blaming on COVID, I’ve recently started to notice how being constantly connected actually feels. My eyes get tired, my attention drifts, and some days, even my mood feels off.

As an eighth grader at The Kalyani School, I’ve seen how different school feels, when we step away from screens. Here, sports are not treated as something extra that we do only if there is time left. They are co-curricular and given the same importance as academics. This learning- teaching methodology in education is something my classmates and I experience every day. It reminds us that we are not just students who sit and study, but people who need movement, fresh air, and space to breathe.

This approach starts early. As a pre-primary school in Pune, and often known as the best preschool in Pune , Kalyani encourages children to learn through play. Even now, when I watch those younger kids running around outside, I can see how much they learn just by playing, and I’m reminded of how I was once one of them - carefree and without all the stress; but I digress. My point is that those moments build confidence, friendships, and curiosity, all without pressure, and I have witnessed this firsthand, having been part of The Kalyani School since my own pre-primary years.

As we are growing older, sports have begun to teach us lessons that textbooks cannot. Teamwork, discipline, patience, leadership, and learning how to deal with both winning and losing. And to further emphasize the effect of sports on our lives, our school recently organised a very enlightening debate on teamwork in sports. It certainly had me questioning my past decisions of turning down my friends’ invitations to play outside. I can confidently say that my entire class must have noticed that after playing outside or even a short stroll in the corridors during breaks, classes feel lighter, and it becomes easier to concentrate.

Things change again during the secondary years at school, and I’m quoting my seniors on this one. The pressure increases, exams matter more, and expectations feel higher. This is where sports make the biggest difference. Being able to step outside, play a game, or even just move around helps students to reset mentally. Sometimes, that break helps more than an hour spent staring at the smart board watching another TED-Ed or Dr. Binocs video that the teacher let us put on after completing our exam portion.

What makes Kalyani stand out as a top school in Pune is this balance. Recognized as one of the best CBSE schools in Pune, Kalyani teaches us how to use technology wisely, while also reminding us when it is time to take a break.

The Kalyani School is a place where students are allowed to be human. Curious, tired, energetic, sometimes a little overwhelmed, but always learning - that's Kalyani for you. By treating sports as co-curricular rather than extracurricular, our school aptly reminds us that our bodies matter just as much as our grades, and that some of the most important lessons are learned when we finally look up from our screens.

In a world that never stops scrolling, The Kalyani School reminds us that real learning sometimes begins when we log off and step outside.