Balwadi is a rural pre-primary school program for children aged 3 to 6 years old to help prepare them for formal schooling. It is run by the local village community with minimal funding. Parents send children with packed lunches that are shared family-style to promote self-sufficiency and break down caste barriers. Young local women serve as teachers trained in informal early education methods focusing on nursery rhymes, shapes, colors, and values to develop vocabulary and social skills. The flexible schedule accommodates seasonal work while cultivating environmentally aware community among both students and teachers.

1. BALWADI

2. Meaning of Balwadi
 Balwadi is a rural pre - primary school run
economically but scientifically and using as
many educational aids as possible

3. Meaning
 It is a kindergarten programme for children
in the age group of 3 to 6 years.
 It helps in identifying children who are ready
for school admission and prepares them for
schooling.
 Balwadi is one of the four major programs of
Door Step School

4. The special features of the
balwadis are:
 The village community manages the centre and provides a room and land for it.
 Free mid-day meals are not provided in the balwadis.
 Instead, parents are requested to send tiffin (lunch) with their children which is then shared at
mealtime.
 This is in keeping with our policy of minimum money inputs and supports the concept of self
sufficiency in the village.
 Communities are motivated to grow cereals, vegetables and fruits locally and a support system is
provided to this happen in the village.
 Also, the sharing of food amongst the children helps break down caste barriers.
 The teacher, usually a girl or young woman of the village or of a nearby village, is appointed by the
village community.
 Environmental education activities are given a prominent place in the balwadi programme with
the aim of helping the child relate to his/her immediate environment.
 The annual calendar and the daily timings of the balwadis are decided by the community in
accordance with the seasonal workload and convenience of the residents.
 The balwadi teachers are mostly young and not highly educated.Often they come out of their
villages for the first time to attend a teacher-training course. by participating in the balwadi
programme, they gain confidence and develop into environmentally-aware and knowledgeable
adults.
 They are motivated to do socially-useful work and in many villages they are instrumental in the
formation of women's groups.

5. Activities1. Preparation for what's ahead
 The Balwadi program is geared to get children prepared for a more formal
education process.
 We stress regular attendance for 2 hours at a stretch and participation in
class, which we believe, builds children's attention span and instils in them a
habit of attending school.
2. Informal Learning Process
 Kids are taught a variety of nursery rhymes, which builds their vocabulary of
English.
 They learn shapes and colours through songs, pictures and toys.
 They also learn values and social skills.
 Children learn the alphabet and are introduced to numbers.
 These children are known to perform better in mathematics later in school.
3. Special Programs
 Children learn about culture by celebrating various festivals.
 They also enjoy picnics and other events