"All the activities in a Bala Vihar class or camp are specially designed for children. The primary aim is to teach children to look at life as a game. Further, they must understand that even though life is viewed as a sport, every sport has rules, and discipline is important; just because it’s a game, it does not mean we can skip the rules."

 - Swami Tejomayananda

 

The Chinmaya Bala Vihar programme offers weekly spiritual Vedanta classes for children in their formidable and moulding years (5-15 years). The classes, categorised by varying age groups, start and end with Sanskrit prayers. They include chanting, bhajans, stories of devotion and moral values, interactive discussions, and creative games. Conducted worldwide, the 90-minute classes are based on specially designed syllabi, with the aim of accomplishing the Bala Vihar rationale set by Swami Chinmayananda:

•    To inculcate in children and youth reverence and pride for our ancient culture, and give them a healthy foundation to build their life

•    To provide an atmosphere of growth that is filled with physical discipline, healthy emotions and noble ideas

•    To create self-confidence to be able to act and serve cheerfully with true affection

•    To provide a vision that generates personal discipline and dynamic leadership

•    To nurture their dormant faculties, so that the children can improve, cultivate and express their creative abilities and individuality

•    To help our children and youth develop a healthy resistance against peer pressure and the temptations of ‘modern’ society

•    To develop love for God and forge a lasting relationship with Him

During the weekly classes, and at special events and festival celebrations, both the children and sevaks/sevikas (teachers and administrators) learn the art of living in a loving, nurturing environment of discipline, where their personalities spontaneously blossom at the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels.