LEISURE & TRAVEL

Holidays don't have to be only about fun and frolic.

They can combine enjoyable and educative activities to offer a wholesome experience for children. Lately, a rising number of millennial parents are carefully planning holidays to offer children immersive education experiences combined with opportunities to explore new cultures, local histories and cuisines and learning new skills. And what better way to start the New Year than planning an education holiday experience for your children. In this New Year special we recommend five immersive education holidays for children. From visiting a farm to learn about farming basics to visiting a museum displaying tactile art for people with special needs... a lot of purpose can be infused into holidays.

FARM-TO-FORK EXPERIENCE

Sited on the outskirts of Jodhpur (pop.1.4 million), Mharo Khet offers holiday experience that's enjoyable and rejuvenating, and simultaneously educational in terms of children learning new-age farming practices in rural India.

Spread over 40 acres, Mharo Khet is a 40-year-old ancestral farm given a new lease of life two years ago by Vedika and Rajnush Agarwal, who decided to experiment with growing exotic vegetables and fruits in water-deficient Rajasthan. During their mission to transform this barren land into a green, tree-rich farm they experienced several setbacks plants wilting in harsh sunlight and fruit orchards destroyed by animals and birds. The story of how they persisted and revived their farm is delightfully narrated by the couple when you tour this expansive farm on foot.