Play is the language

at our inclusive children’s club

Overview of Latika Vihar

At Latika Vihar our language is play and all are included.

I don’t think the worst things that could happen to me is raising a child with special needs. I think the worst thing is to raise a child who is cruel to those with special needs.

What We Do At Latika Vihar

No Pressure
Children need time to discover their own creativity and imagination with no adult interference. Here they are free to explore toys, books, dance, music, pottery, drama, sports and story-telling at their own pace, as little or as much as they like.
Inclusion
At Latika Vihar the shy one, the quiet one, as well as the child with more significant disabilities opens up and joins in! Inclusion in action is profound, particularly on children whose values are being formed. At Latika Vihar children learn that everybody is different and everybody is important.
Confidence and Self Esteem
Our counselors hold sessions with the children as well as their parents to discuss the concerns they face. Realising that they are not the only ones going through these problems removes their sense of isolation and they find their own unique ways to cope.
Managers in the making
Events and programs don’t just happen. Children learn to plan organize and execute their creative ideas in a way that includes everyone. In the process they become effective leaders and managers!

Latika Vihar’s Impact

Hema – still at Latika Vihar!

Hema joined Latika Vihar at the age of 11. She was a scrappy, tough little girl then, weighing in at only 30 kilos but formidable. Anand, an older, much larger boy remembers being assigned to hold the punching bag for the martial arts class to practice their kick-boxing on. One child after another ran up and landed their ineffectual, feathery little kicks on the bag and Anand was able to hold it up with only half his strength. Suddenly, Hema emerged from the pack like a cannonball, raced up to the bag and kicked it so hard he was knocked right over.

That’s Hema in a nutshell. She grabs her life in both her hands and engages with it. As a child at Latika Vihar, she stood out for her energy and vitality, her lively sense of humor and fun and her willingness to take risks, to try new things, to challenge assumptions and set her own course. As an adult, she is fearless and passionate, full of ideas and sparkle, still taking risks, still setting her own course.

In 1999, she started working as Moy Moy’s carer, a job she held successfully and with great dedication for three years. She then moved on to a full-time job at Karuna Vihar as an assistant teacher. And finally, full-circle, she was appointed coordinator for the littles at Latika Vihar, planning and conducting the activities she once participated in as a child herself.

Admission

Latika Vihar is open for children between 3 and 15 years of age. The fee varies and is based on family income. No child will ever be turned away because they cannot afford to pay

TIMINGS
Summers: Mondays to Fridays from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Winters: Mondays to Fridays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
CONTACT NUMBER
Phone 0135-2769495
ADDRESS
113/1, Vasant Vihar,
Dehradun 248001