From Nepal to India, early childhood classrooms are becoming places of joy and exploration. By moving away from rote memorization and focusing instead on sensory development, teachers are reinventing their profession and helping students regain their confidence. The stories of Pabitra and Seema illustrate the impact of these dynamic approaches.
Pabitra: Creating with Local Resources
Pabitra has been working as an Early Childhood Development (ECD) teacher at Shree Aadharbhoot School in Kapilvastu, for the past six years. Passionate about working with young children, she believes that the early years of learning are not only about education, but also about nurturing curiosity, confidence, and creativity in children through meaningful interaction and play.
For her, spending time with them, guiding them through various activities, and watching their confidence grow day by day gives her a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.
Whether through singing, dancing, drawing, storytelling, or interactive games, she has seen how children learn best when education becomes enjoyable and engaging.
However, she explains that the classroom environment was very different before receiving support and training from Karuna-Shechen. In the past, teaching was largely theoretical, with limited practical learning materials available for children. Lessons were mostly focused on memorization, making it difficult to keep young learners actively engaged in the classroom.
From memorization to local resources
After participating in ECD training sessions provided by the organization, Pabitra’s understanding changed significantly. There, Pabitra learned about child-centered teaching approaches, the importance of the six areas of early childhood education, and how to set up various “learning corners” in the classroom to encourage children’s independence through observation and play.
Today, her classroom has become a vibrant and interactive learning space where children are encouraged to explore, play, and learn through experience. One of the approaches she has appreciated the most is using locally available and familiar materials for teaching. Instead of relying solely on purchased resources, she creatively repurposes everyday local objects as teaching tools.
For example, replicas of traditional household items such as local stoves and grinders are used in the classroom to help children understand objects they see in their daily lives.This makes learning more concrete and accessible.
She also encourages recycling and creativity within the classroom. Cardboards and discarded materials from the community are cut and redesigned into teaching aids and learning games. Through this process, children not only learn academic concepts, but also develop awareness about the value of local resources and environmental responsibility.
A day that appeals to the senses
Pabitra describes the ECD classroom routine as highly interactive and structured around active participation. Each day begins with a morning assembly where children engage in simple physical exercises, movement activities, and short dance routines. Inside the classroom, activities begin with quiet moment and short meditation exercises to help children feel calm and focused before lessons start.
Learning activities are then carried out using physical and hands-on materials that children can touch, hold, and play with. Basic symbols, letters, and numbers are introduced through games and interactive exercises rather than rote memorization.
For example, children are introduced to different textures and materials so they can understand concepts such as soft, rough, and hard through touch and observation. Taste-based learning activities also help children identify flavors such as sweet, sour, and bitter through practical experience.
Throughout these activities, Pabitra continuously interacts with the children by asking questions about what they learned, what they touched, and how they felt, encouraging communication and confidence-building alongside academic learning.
Parental involvement
Assessment and evaluation within the ECD classroom are also carried out through interactive and observation-based methods. Rather than relying only on written tests, Pabitra evaluates children through classroom participation, learning activities, portfolio forms, and regular discussions with parents. Parents are actively involved in sharing observations about their children’s behavior, communication, and learning progress at home, helping teachers better understand each child’s development before they transition from ECD to Grade One..
Looking back, Pabitra says the trainings and continued support have transformed not only her classroom, but also her own confidence as a teacher. She feels more active, capable, and creative in her role, and she believes the children are now more excited and motivated to come to school and learn. For her, early childhood education is no longer only about teaching lessons — it is about creating a joyful environment where children can grow, explore, and build a strong foundation for their future.
This movement, driven by a shared spirit of creativity and discovery, has crossed borders to find resonance in India. Seema shares her experience of this transformation in the daily life of early childhood centers.
Seema: Learning and Thriving Together
Seema, a worker at the Juri Anganwadi center, a preschool in Potka, in the state of Jharkhand, India, shares her thoughts with us:
“When I first heard about the ECD project by Karuna-Shechen, I wondered how much can really change in a small Anganwadi centre in Potka Block? Now, every single morning when I watch the children come to the Centre with energy and enthusiasm, I get my answer. The ECD project is simple: children learn happily through play.
Four areas to explore the world
” There are four indoor play zones, and each one has a purpose :
- A relaxing Sensory Zone is for Toddlers. It has soft toys and play objects that develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination of the child.
- A place for imagination, where their creativity flourishes as they build roads and forests and bring wild animals to life.
- A building area with wooden blocks that helps develop spatial awareness, as well as motor and cognitive skills.
- An area dedicated to symbolic play, featuring miniature houses, cars, and doctor’s kits, where five- and six-year-olds learn through role-playing.
We run indoor games one or two days a week and take the children outside to the open field once a week for physical activities. On the remaining days, we have drawing classes and structured learning; so every single day at this centre holds something meaningful for the children.
Engaging classes
” The improvement in attendance has been remarkable. Parents who were hesitant before now send their children eagerly. And the children themselves are eager to come.
Before the ECD project, the progress in children was slow. But now with the various games and creative activities, children quickly identify colours, fruits, vegetables, numbers, shapes, and alphabets. More than that, they are speaking confidently and freely.
Laxmi’s Story: From Isolation to Confidence
” I have to tell you about this one girl, Laxmi Pariya. When she first came to us, she struggled to participate- she would hang back, unsure of herself. Watching her today, you would not recognise that same child. She has blossomed — mentally, physically — and she now stands up and role-plays as the teacher during our classroom activities. That moment, for me, says everything.
The best part of the ECD project is that learning feels fun. And that joy is building them both mentally and physically. My one wish is a Jhula (swing) in our outdoor space. Because these children deserve every reason to keep coming back.”
By moving away from traditional methods in favor of a dynamic teaching approach, Pabitra and Seema are fundamentally reinventing their profession. They are regaining confidence in their abilities and thriving in their daily work. This shift in approach reassures parents and transforms the classroom into a joyful place for the children.