Reeba Rizvi: Channelling her creativity towards child development

Reeba Rizvi

By Shailendree 

Wickrama Adittiya

Early learning has a significant impact on child development and activity books for children are designed to help with the development of various skills, like hand-eye coordination and problem solving.

The activity books by Dazzling Events and Hand Crafts help children develop these skills using creative and innovative methods. The books are designed by Reeba Rizvi, who described her like as one big roller-coaster and has channelled her creativity into her business venture.

Having started her career has an auditor and later becoming a preschool teacher, Rizvi became a stay at home mom after the birth of her daughter. “Since I missed going out and interacting with people, I started exploring new opportunities to make things interesting. And that’s how I came up with an idea for event planning and creating new designs,” Rizvi said.

Dazzling Events and Hand Crafts has the support of her family, including a husband she says is her biggest strength, daughter who is her biggest inspiration, and parents who guide her. Initially, the business focused on handmade paper flowers, lanterns, table centres, nursery and party decorations, customised hampers, gift boxes, and events like surprise parties, baby showers, and bridal showers.

“My greatest achievement is my handmade quiet books (activity books) for kids. These books are 99% handmade. So far, the books that I’ve made are unique,” Rizvi said. She explained that there are three types of activity books, based on size. For personal usage, she recommends 8x9inch and A4 sizes.

The A3 size activity books are ideal for pre-schools and day-care centres. “I create the books depending on my customer’s requirements and preferences. I deliver my books island wide and overseas as well,” she added.

The idea for the activity books stemmed from Rizvi’s desire to give the best to her daughter. Her innovative ideas led to the concept of quiet books and she then studied the concept and the impact it has on children.

“It was easier for me to understand as I graduated in Early Childhood and Pre-School Education from the Open University Sri Lanka. However, I was pumped to design the very first activity book for my daughter to gift her on her second birthday,” Rizvi explained.

She designed an A4 size book with 18 individual activities and the gift was well-received by her daughter. “The way she completed each and every activity with my guidance amused me. She spent so much time on the book and she wouldn’t stop jumping up and down when she completed each activity,” Rizvi added.

This was enough motivation for Rizvi and she now creates activity books for two age groups; infants from three months to one year and children from one year to five years. When putting together an activity book, there are three main components. These are time, creativity, and effort. According to Rizvi, making the books are time consuming and a lot of effort goes into making the books neat and exquisite. Creativity is important as she turns new and imaginative ideas into reality with the books.

“Since these books are made for kids, I ensure that everything is done perfectly to bloom their imagination,” she added.

The quiet books are made using special fabric that is kid-friendly and does not tear easily. They benefit children under three main categories. The development benefits include motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem solving, gumption, attention, spatial imagination, and logical thinking, while learning skills include mathematics, creativity, colours, sorting and matching, geometrical shapes, and spelling. The books also help children with practical life skills like buttoning, zipping, shoe lacing, braiding, weaving, and tying bows.

While Rizvi makes the books by herself, she acquires new ideas and refreshes her thinking pattern through books, articles, videos, social media, and the internet. “I mostly design innovative activities based on customer’s requests. That boosts my imagination to create something exquisite,” she added.

She currently designs books on a pre-order basis and accepts orders via the Dazzling Events and Hand Crafts Facebook page. However, Rizvi plans on setting up a work station, expanding the team, and designing books suitable for different age groups.

“The main idea is to help people purchase readymade books according to their preferences,” Rizvi said, adding that she hopes to do her best and contribute to helping kids develop their sense of imagination, sensory skills, and most importantly, to bring a smile onto their faces.