Bala Vihar® – Children & Youth

Every Sunday 4:00pm to 6:00pm

1650 Hastings Dr, London, ON N5X 3E3

Chinmaya Mission London

What is

Bala Vihar® ?

Chinmaya’s Bala Vihar® is a cultural & spiritual value-based education program for students ages four to seventeen, striving to create balanced and integrated individuals, who will contribute positively to the society. Chinmaya Bala Vihar’s have been teaching children for the last 60 years in 400 centres worldwide. In North America alone, 20,000 students attend Bala Vihar® every week, in its various cities.

At Chinmaya Mission London, we started with 25 students in 2011 and now we have over 150 students. Our exponential growth has been possible by the grace and blessings of Bhagavan and Guru and steadfast support from Chinmaya family members like YOU.

Spiritual growth is most conducive when you learn and evolve as a family. In response to the survey conducted last year, we are offering several adult classes on Sundays including Bhagavad Gita, Yoga and Meditation, and Chanting classes to encourage parents to attend. We are also offering Shishuvihar classes for children ages 3-4 and Sanskrit classes for all children between 3:00p-3:50p

“Children are not vessels to be filled, but lamps to be lit”

– Swami Chinmayananda

Chinmaya Mission London

What is

Bala Vihar® ?

Chinmaya’s Bala Vihar® is a cultural & spiritual value-based education program for students ages four to seventeen, striving to create balanced and integrated individuals, who will contribute positively to the society. Chinmaya Bala Vihar’s have been teaching children for the last 60 years in 400 centres worldwide. In North America alone, 20,000 students attend Bala Vihar® every week, in its various cities.

“Children are not vessels to be filled, but lamps to be lit”

– Swami Chinmayananda

frequently asked questions

Chinmaya’s Bala Vihar® is a cultural & spiritual value-based education program for students ages four to seventeen, striving to create balanced and integrated individuals, who will contribute positively to the society. Chinmaya Bala Vihar’s have been teaching children for the last 60 years in 400 centres worldwide. In North America alone, 20,000 students attend Bala Vihar® every week, in its various cities.

  • Vision    : Unleash every child’s infinite potential and capacity.
  • Mission : To help children Learn Values with fun, to delight like the moon And shine like the sun.
  • Motto    : Keep smiling !!

Chinmaya’s Bala Vihar program is designed to channel energy, enthusiasm and curiosity of a child’s young mind in the right direction to help the child develop a strong character, identity & pride in his or her cultural roots such that he or she can relate with ease to any person or be the master of any situation they face.

This goal of building a strong foundation is accomplished by:

  • Teaching the fundamentals of Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism.
  • Inculcating values, morals, and ethics as described in our scriptures.
  • Instilling mutual respect & discipline.

Our trained sevaks & sevikas impart knowledge in a safe, loving & fun environment through various different activities such as games, stories, drama, music, arts and crafts, discussions, and hands-on class projects.

Students learn from a structured syllabus and text books, developed by Acharyas and Swamis with decades of experience in the pursuit of knowledge of the self, study of Vedanta, living it, teaching it and reflecting on it. For each age, children have a designated textbook. In London, from the academic year 2019-2020 children are divided into various classes (including Shishu Vihar for age 2 & 3), based on their age groups shown below and will learn from the text books shown below

  • Individuals learn to awaken their inner potential – self development.
  • Spiritual awareness and cultural acumen.
  • Good conduct and character.
  • An appreciation and commitment for noble values.
  • An integrated personality
  • Language classes will be held from 3:10pm to 3:50pm before Bala Vihar classes, on Sunday.
  • This is a value add program.
  • Classes are held at the same venue.
  • Attendance is optional for children.
  • However, only children attending Bala Vihar are eligible to enroll for language classes
  • Languages currently offered – Sanskrit.
  • Languages offered are strictly based on the availability of teachers
  • Anyone willing to teach another language not currently offered – do let one of our Sevaks know
  • Continue to consistently bring your child to Bala Vihar.
  • Arrive 10 minutes prior to the start of Bala Vihar giving your child enough time to settle-in.
  • Take interest and ask your child what he/she learnt in the class.
  • Help and encourage your child to practice the learning.
  • Share stories, have discussions with your child about Sanatana Dharma
  • Yes, there is a nominal registration fee of $350 per family per year.
  • This is to help us meet operating costs including facilities, rental, insurance, administration costs to run these classes, in London.
  • This can be paid ONLINE or by cheque (payable to Chinmaya Mission) or cash.
  • To support our new immigrant families, parents who are on Ontario Works or ODSP or going through financial challenges or challenging family situation, including due to ongoing COVID pandemic, please contact us by email or phone us and we will be happy to consider a waiver or alternate payment mode for the registration fee.

Participation by a parent in study of Vedanta simultaneously,  instead of parental sermon has been observed to yield better self-development results and commitment among our children. Keeping this in mind we have a parallel, Adult study group allowing the whole family to grow together. Participation in the Adult study group by parents is STRONGLY recommended.

CLASS GRADES TEXTBOOKS TEACHERS TIME
Sanjeevani Age 3 and 4 Alphabet Safari Dharsana Sankar 4:15 – 5:45 PM
Anjaneya JK & SK Alphabet Safari Sujatha
Seena Nambiar		 4:15 – 5:45 PM
Chiranjeevi Grade 1 & 2 Sri Hanuman – The Super Superman Deepa Thangavel

Anupama Sreekumar

 4:15 – 5:45 PM
Maruti Grade 3 & 4 Krishna Krishna Everywhere Sangeetha Vaideswaran

Rekha Khandekar

Shashi Sharma

 4:15 – 5:45 PM
Vajrangi Grade 5 & 6 Symbolism in Hinduism Veena Nayak
Shailesh Nene		 4:15 – 5:45 PM
Ramduta Grade 7 & 8 Hindu Culture Sreelatha Varaparavan

Jigar Joshi

Madhav Shyam

 4:15 – 5:45 PM
Paramvira Grade 9 – 12 Gita for me Vinod Varapravan
Srinidhi Srinivasan		 4:15 – 5:45 PM