Family and Friends — Class 3 EVS (CBSE)
From the current NCERT Our Wondrous World Grade 3 book, Unit 1: Our Families and Communities, Chapter 1. We begin by looking at the people closest to us — our family and friends.
1. Why this chapter matters
Our family is the first group we belong to. Learning about families helps children value love, care, sharing, and helping — and to see that families come in many shapes, all special in their own way.
2. Key ideas
- A family is a group of people who live together and care for each other.
- Families can be small (parents and children) or big (with grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins). Pets can also be part of a family.
- Family members help one another — cooking, cleaning, gardening, and looking after each other.
- Elders like grandparents share stories, games, and traditions.
- Friends and neighbours are like an extended family; they join our celebrations and help in need.
3. Let's understand
Every family is different. Some children live with their parents and a brother or sister. Others live in a big home with grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins all together. What makes a family special is not its size but the love and care the members share.
In a family, everyone contributes. When parents cook, an older child may help lay the table, and grandparents may tell stories or help in the garden. When everyone helps, the home runs smoothly and happily.
Grandparents and elders are special — a Dadaji or Nani may teach the games they played as children, passing on memories and traditions. Beyond our home, friends and neighbours share happy times with us, like family.
4. New words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| family | people who live together and care for one another |
| relatives | family members like uncles, aunts, and cousins |
| elders | older people such as grandparents |
| tradition | a custom passed down from elders to children |
| neighbour | a person who lives near your home |
5. Activity corner
Draw your family tree with all the members of your family. Then write:
- Who are the elders in your family?
- One way each member helps at home
- One thing an elder has taught you
6. Common mistakes
- Mistake: Thinking only a small family (parents and children) is a "real" family. Fix: Families can be small or big; both are special when there is love and care.
- Mistake: Forgetting that everyone in a family helps. Fix: Each member, including children, can share in the work at home.
- Mistake: Writing one-word answers. Fix: Give an example, like "My grandmother teaches me old songs."
7. Let Us Think
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What makes a family special? The love and care that the members share, not its size.
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Name two kinds of families. A small family (parents and children) and a big or joint family (with grandparents and relatives).
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How do family members help each other? By cooking, cleaning, gardening, and caring for one another — everyone contributes.
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What do elders like grandparents give us? Stories, games, traditions, love, and guidance.
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Who can be like family besides relatives? Friends and neighbours who share happy times and help us.
8. Answer key
- The love and care shared by its members.
- Small (nuclear) family and big (joint) family.
- By sharing household work and caring for one another.
- Stories, games, traditions, and love.
- Friends and neighbours.
9. Quick revision
- A family is people who live together and care for each other.
- Families can be small or big; pets can be family too.
- Members help one another, and everyone contributes.
- Elders pass on stories, games, and traditions.
- Friends and neighbours are like extended family.
Unit 1: Our Families and Communities
This chapter is part of Unit 1: Our Families and Communities. The three chapters in this unit are:
- Chapter 1: Family and Friends
- Chapter 2: Going to the Mela
- Chapter 3: Celebrating Festivals
