BAL BHAWAN

Ashima Aggarwal

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MINI TRAIN

The Mini Train is the star attraction of the National Bal Bhavan. Ride in this train is
enjoyed by children and adults alike. The Mini Train is a complete miniature Railway,
donated to Bal Bhavan by the children's beloved Late Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, through the
Northern Railways in 1958. Messrs Krauss Maffic A.G. and Tata Locomotive

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Engineering Company Limited, Jamshedpur gifted a mini steam locomotive. It has two
open coaches and has seating arrangement for fifty-two persons. There is a Railway
Station called Khel Gaon a name very appropriate to its character. Alongwith the station
building, there is an engine house for keeping the Mini Engine with a turn-table so that
the engine can be turned around to run in both directions. The track of this Mini
Locomotive is of Y3 gauge, about a mile long and circumvents the National Bal Bhavan
complex. Part of the track is a tunnel and a bridge, both very realistic and functional.
There is an automatically operated signal system too. Children love to take a joy ride and
are thrilled on getting a chance to perform the duties of the train guard. On such
occasions, the most exciting moment is to give a go signal to the mini train and stop it by
waving the red flag. This steam locomotive is the smallest and so is the track gauge on
which it runs.

THE TRAFFIC PARK

Stop! Says Red no! no! no!
Says Yellow, get ready to go.
Green says, now you can move,
In your lane and in your row.

This message is given by the traffic lights and this message is communicated to the
children too, as they have to follow the traffic rules, in the Traffic Park of National Bal
Bhavan. A small Traffic Park has been created in the premises of National Bal Bhavan
with the support of Delhi Traffic Police to make the children aware of various aspects
related to road safety in a play way method. The park is equipped with the traffic signals,
road signs, small roads and road crossings. Children are provided with small bicycles and
are briefed about the significance of road signals. It is also equipped with audio-visual
projection facility. Films/slide shows related to road safety are also shown to children.
Traffic Park is an added attraction, which not only provides fun to the children but also
educates them

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MAGIC MIRRORS

Magic mirrors kept in an open room are another attraction of the National Bal Bhavan.
Laughing mirrors comprise big concave and convex mirrors arranged in a special manner
to reflect funny, distorted images of anyone entering the room. Children find these very
amusing and funny. Although these mirrors have been kept for providing fun and evoke
laughter, they have an educative value too for the children, who out of inquisitiveness try
to find out the factors governing this funny phenomenon. Thus, these help in fostering a
scientific temperament among children.

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SCIENCE PARK

Learning is fun in the Science Park - Photo caption for one or two pics In 1990 a scheme
for establishing Science Parks at the National Bal Bhavan and also in State Bal Bhavans
was initiated. In the implementation of this scheme, a Science Park was established in
National Bal Bhavan and over a period of 5 years from 1992 to 1997, twenty Science
Parks were established in State Bal Bhavans with the support of National Bal Bhavan.

The Science Parks are not just a means of recreation and entertainment, but also play a
big role in enhancing children's knowledge and creativity. Children come to understand
scientific laws and principles easily when they see attractive working models and visuals
depicting various scientific concepts. Science Parks are meant for every child,
irrespective of the fact whether she is a science student or not. Children are always keen
to know the 'How and Why' of things and the Science Park models and the related write-
ups enable them to understand the underlying principles. They are also able to relate
these phenomena with other similar events and try to draw a relationship between them.
In this way, their logical approach and analytical capabilities are developed and they
become more observant.

The Science Park at the National Bal Bhavan houses simple science models, which are a
big attraction for the children. There are many things in the Park, which would seem to be
similar to those that are available in other parks, like swings or see-saw. However, the
see-saw in National Bal Bhavan's Science Park has a distinctive feature, i.e. the fulcrum
is not always at the centre. Children find it quite amusing that a thin child can lift a heavy

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child without much effort. Likewise, the length of swings is kept different so the children
while swinging can rationalize a relationship between the time and length of the swing.
Benches are provided for people to sit and relax in all the parks. Likewise in the Science
Park of National Bal Bhavan too, albeit with a difference.

The benches at the National Bal Bhavan's Science Park are made up of different coloured
stones, one each in white, grey and black. Thus, children can understand the concept of
absorption of heat just by sitting on different benches. In addition, there are also huge
models of the pin-hole camera, periscope, a working model that lifts water using the
principle of screw, musical pipes, solar models depicting distillation of water and solar
powered tube lights.

The Science Park in the National Bal Bhavan provides joy of learning in its truest sense.

FISH AQUARIUM

In the Fish Corner, children learn about the behavior of the fish, their food habits, the
interdependence of different species living under water and fish breeding. Children, while
learning about fish, also learn the technique of making an aquarium, such as - knowledge
about water pressure, its surface tension, PH factor, the volume of the container and the
need for constant circulation of oxygen in water for the survival of fish etc. Regular
discussions and interactions are part of the activity of Fish Corner. Children's natural
curiosity in the form of questions is satiated during the interactive sessions, such as the
need of having gills and fins in the fish, the streamlined shape of the fish that helps them
in swimming smoothly, difference between fresh water fish and sea water fish, the
position of the mouth in different species of the fish and their social behavior etc.
Children are amused to see fighting fish, which prefer to live alone.

The aquarium also possesses those types of fish, which live in dark, deep caves, since
they do not have eyes. Children are amazed to find that there are some fish known as
sucker-mouth cat fish, which are natural cleaners. They eat algae and keep the aquarium

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clean. The live-bearers are another interesting and unique type of fish whose eggs are
hatched inside their bodies and tiny fish Such interesting examples not only delight
children but also motivate them to learn more about the aquatic world.

SANSKRITI SHILPA GRAM (THE INDIAN VILLAGE)

The Indian Village of National Bal Bhavan is yet another special attraction where a
village scene has been created inside the campus. Small huts, machaan, swings, a village
well and women standing near it to draw water, a cow and its calf, a bull and a farmer,
small sitting platforms called chaupals, floor applied with cow dung and mud, along with
traditional folk art depicted all over, makes the whole ambience unique.

Every Saturday, the Culture Crafts Village becomes vibrant with all the Art & Craft
Activities shifting to the village complex. These include papier machie, pottery, henna
application, toy making etc. Children are enthralled to see the potter’s spinning wheel
that enables the potter to create beautiful The hummable songs sung by folk singers make
the whole atmosphere Festive. All the festivals that fall in different seasons/ months are
also jointly celebrated on Saturdays. Such joint celebrations not only make children
aware of the diverse cultures of our country but also instill their hearts with a feeling of
unity in diversity.