Nobody ever said inclusion was easy.

My nephews, Owen and Enzo, attended Karuna Vihar for the six weeks they were here in India. Most of the time, it was a good experience (though it was still school, as far as they were concerned. They preferred Latika Vihar, our afternoon children’s centre.)

The  activity-based learning approach at KV really suited them: for Owen, it was a revelation. Under the guidance of his teacher Neelam Didi, he finally understood math, and by the time he left, he was multiplying three-digit numbers with practiced ease. Enzo enjoyed cooking class and both boys loved their teachers and most of the other kids in class.

Occasionally, though, those other kids presented a challenge. Here’s Enzo looking justifiably annoyed about having just been drenched by young Mitali, who is seen here peering up at him, seemingly waiting to see just how exactly he is planning to respond.

Come to think of it: is it all that different from any other classroom? I mean, given a warm day, a basin of water and a bunch of kids, what are the odds that no one will give in to the temptation to splash?