BENGALURU: On a Saturday morning, a group of seven children between the ages of 6 and 8 years of age are at a playdate. This is not a usual one...here the kids are playing at a salt studio amidst 5,000 kg of Himalayan salt.
Say hello to new-age playdates with Bengaluru parents pulling all the stops to ensure their children have fun and also explore new things. Owner of Bodhsara Wellness and Salt Studio Mita Vinay, says, “It’s a concept borrowed from Russia where a room filled with salt has proven to help one heal from various illnesses. Be it a cold or cough, playing around in the salt will release the mucus and make one feel better.”
She goes on to add that the last two years have been particularly challenging for parents to find a space to meet. “Children imagine the salt studio to be of beach sand with forts and many other elements. Children who came with dry skin and blocked noses immediately showed results and they seemed healthier after the 40-minute session which is priced Rs 700 onwards per person,” Vinay adds. Tripti Mehra, finance professional and mother of two boys, says the salt therapy was an excellent option for kids.
“My kids haven’t had much of an outside life in the last two years. I’ve used the services before and that’s why I brought my kids. My children have some chest congestion and through this playdate, they got to play with their friends and get a dose of wellness along with it,” she says.
A ‘mani-pedi party’ at a salon seems to be emerging as a popular trend among young children too. “We recently had a request to have about 12 very young girls to attend a child’s birthday party. Everyone had a blast as some of them got their hair glittered and painted too,” says Maude Abraham, founder of Get Gorgeous Beauty Bar. The wedding season is calling out young fashionistas who want to look prim and proper. Abraham points out that children as young as six are opting for gel nail polish now, priced at `110 onwards.
“We don’t usually advise it unless the parents insist on it. It takes about two hours and there are certain rays that they’ll have to be exposed to which is not always a good idea,” she says, adding that hair glitter is one of the latest trends.
“But children come along with the bride and other adults, and in order to seem like they are part of the wedding festivities, and with the permission of parents, they end up getting nail paints and polishes done too,” says Abraham.
Founder of Nailbox Sneha Bhagwat highlights their ‘Princess Menu’ which is a manicure-pedicure combo for children below the age of 13. “Kids who come in with their parents these days want to get nail extensions but we don’t usually encourage that. But on some occasions, we have done a couple of them. They find it very exciting,” says Bhagwat, who points out that festive season also sees children asking for graphic nail art.
“They want everything from a snowflakes, to gifts and snowmen painted on their nails. When it comes to creative work like this, children have a lot of ideas and patience till the work is done. It’s a good change and a great way to keep them entertained,” she says.