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Baalwadi
Working with children between 3-6 years of age is an important part of Muskaan's work and is carried out through baalwadis in the bastis itself. This work began as an experiment, where story telling, and singing activities were conducted with young children in 4 bastis. It resulted in a marked improvement in the children's attention span, attendance, regularity and growth when they began school later.
Realizing the potential of this initiative, Muskaan expanded the work to include children of different communities. Currently there are six balwadis which have an enrolment of 220 children. The baalwadis are run for 4 hours between 11:00am and 2:00pm. During the session, nutrition supplement is also distributed.
The main aim of the balwadis is to facilitate early childhood growth and development by providing an encouraging and enjoyable learning environment for the children through various activities. These include storytelling, play acting, sorting materials, puzzles, drawing, games and physical exercises etc.
These activities are carefully selected with a view to facilitating the development of language and expression; logic building ; hand control and independence and physical development among the children.
Mothers of young children are encouraged to visit the balwadis and discuss their children's growth and progress. This helps to build and cement relationships with them. The women feel their children enjoy spending their time at the balwadis and the activities help to build their confidence and capacities. The women feel that their children demonstrate a perfect blend of adaptable communication skills, confidence and creativity. They become more responsive, attentive and expressive. Further, the women also feel that they can use the time spent by the children in balwadis to do their own work or even to take a breather during their otherwise gruelling daily schedule of household work, looking after the children and earning for the household.
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