With 30 crore school-age children, India's future as a global knowledge leader by the mid 2020's, is secure only when we nurture the creativity and potential of every child. The formal education system left little scope for the overall development of the child's personality. National Bal Bhavan is a place which would fill this gap. Since 1956, Bal Bhavan has been bringing children together irrespective of gender, class, caste to nurture their curiosity and imagination, helping them enjoy childhood and learn joyfully. The Bal Bhavan movement today continues to help children become future creative thinkers, designers, scientists, leaders, compassionate and responsible citizens who contribute to the society.
National Bal Bhavan has multidimensional role to play such as.
a) A Prototype children's Institute for free learning experiences
• Supplement schools system by providing children with free environment conductive to creative expression and activity.
• Helps in preparing children for vocational streams
• Provides opportunities to children to realize their hidden potential.
• Provides opportunities to researchers in areas of creativity.
• Identifies creative talent in the fields of Creative Arts, Creative Performance, Creative Writing and Creative Scientific Innovation.
• The National Children's Museum of Bal Bhavan is the only Children's Museum in the country which is of a National status.
• Creates awareness through mass activities involving children and community on various issues and themes.
• Acts as an effective non-formal learning centre where philosophy of learning by doing and play way methods are adopted.
b) A Creative Resource Centre
• Provides training facility for creative education. The Integrated training programme of National Training Resource Centre imparts training in Creative Arts, Performing Art, Science Education, Physical Education and Literary appreciation. The visual art workshop provides a common platform to subject teachers, art & Craft and performing art teachers in devising innovative teaching strategies.
• Offers guidelines and learning facilities for teachers and teacher trainers for integrated learning of children.
• Helps in developing creative teaching techniques and educational kits in Arts, Science and museum techniques.
c) An Apex Body
• Works as a nodal agency for all affiliated Bal Bhavans.
• Provides guidelines, and support, know - How to affiliated State Bal Bhavan and desiring educational institutions.
• Helps in establishing new Bal Bhavans.
• Coordinates with affiliated Bal Bhavans in organizing national level workshops, seminars and conferences.
• Provides financial assistance to affiliated State Bal Bhavans for specific projects like developing science corners, science parks, astronomical units, museum corners, computer labs, adventure parks etc.
• Provides opportunities to participate in national level programs to children of all affiliated Bal Bhavans.
d) An Institution of National / International Status
• National Bal Bhavan stands as a unique, exemplary institute in the International arena of children's non-formal education institutes.
• Conducted Cultural Exchange Programmes with other countries.
• Organized Children Assemblies, International Integration Camps, where children of other countries were also participated.
The National Bhavan and affiliated Bal Bhavans facilitate all children by adopting equal opportunities with no discrimination based on individual differences. Bal Bhavan pays special attention to children with special/diverse needs in urban and rural India. We believe it is important to reach out to the whole cross section of society so that human resource is identified and nurtured from early childhood. Bal Bhavan engages children in different activities for individual development as also by inclusion into the society by facilitating value added activities like - Mass Singing, Mass Painting, Mass Rallies, Mass Discussions, Mass Creative Writing and organises Creativity Fairs, Science Fairs, Integration-Camps , concern for environment activities such as Mass Tree Plantation, Social awareness to enhance social responsibility/ Children Camps to inculcate socio-inclusion of children from different strata of society. Also teachers/teacher trainees are given training integrated learning / teaching and innovative teaching strategies.