Self-Learning and Resource Center for the Child
Come meet usAbout Lilaloka
Lilaloka, meaning “the universe of Play” in Sanskrit, is a children’s recreation and learning center where play becomes a pathway to learning, creativity, and personal growth.
We offer a safe, inclusive, and non-competitive environment where children can explore, create, and discover at their own pace. Open to Auroville children, home-schoolers, non-schoolers, guests, volunteers, neurodivergent children, and children with diverse learning needs, Lilaloka celebrates each child as a unique individual.
Lilaloka also aspires to be a resource center where educators, parents, and facilitators can share research, experiences, and innovative approaches that support children’s holistic development through play.
Individual sessions
The sessions aim to foster self-exploration and authenticity in children, allowing them to discover joy within themselves while facing challenges independently. Child-led play is central to the sessions, creating a safe and accepting atmosphere where children can express themselves freely. Facilitators support the child’s exploration without directing play or conversation, providing guidance based on the child’s needs and the moment. The only limitations are regarding responsibility and safety. In cases of socialization difficulties, reintegrating the child into group sessions occurs gradually, facilitated by established communication and respect between the child and facilitator.
Group sessions
We provide a variety of activities to empower children to explore their interests and make choices independently. These activities are centered around teamwork, where we cultivate respect for nature, each other, and our surroundings. Through collaborative play, we emphasize social skill development within a safe and supportive environment. Children are free to participate at their own pace, with no pressure to engage if they prefer to observe or pursue their own interests. Additionally, we create educational toys and games inspired by the children’s imaginations.
Ongoing Activities
Nester’s play group
Age: 0–12 months, with parents
Parent & Baby Connection: Early Beginnings
A nurturing experience for parents and babies (0–12 months). Through a caring and supportive environment, the parent-child relationship is strengthened and the precious journey of early growth is celebrated together, while helping parents understand and respond to their baby’s unique needs.
Age: 1–2 years old, with parents
Program designed for toddlers aged 1–2 years and their parents, offering an Enriching space that supports, conscious parenting, and meaningful connection. Through play, sensory experiences, and careful observation of each child’s developmental needs, the sessions encourage trust, emotional well-being, and holistic growth. Parents are supported in responding with empathy, presence, and understanding, while strengthening the unique bond between parent and child.
Infant’s community
Age: 1½–3 years
A warm and thoughtfully prepared environment for children aged 1½–3 years, inspired by Integral Education, Waldorf, and Montessori principles. Through play, movement, and connection with nature, children are encouraged to develop independence, curiosity, confidence, and self-discovery at their own pace in a caring and supportive community.
Free-Flow Mornings
Free Flow Mornings at Lilaloka offer a welcoming space where children can follow their natural rhythm, explore their interests, and engage in meaningful experiences. These mornings are designed to support each child’s individuality, encouraging independence, creativity, connection, and a joyful relationship with learning.
CHRYSALIDES
Open mornings to all children aged 3 to 6 years old
Child-led learning through art, nature play, storytelling, and hands-on activities—encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a love for discovery beyond structured schooling.
BUTTERFLIES
Open mornings to all children aged 6 to 10+ years old
This child-led learning program follows an open curriculum and free-progress approach. Using Montessori learning materials, cosmic education, storytelling, and individual and group projects, it encourages self-directed exploration, nurtures personal interests, and fosters a lifelong love of learning beyond a fixed curriculum.
Imaginary World & Storytelling
In Imaginary World, the facilitator actively joins the play, connecting with their intuitive inner child and choosing materials—figures, cloth, dolls, tools, books, and more—to enrich the experience. This shared imagination helps children navigate challenges through creative exploration.
In Storytelling, Drama, and Role Play, children use storybooks, hand puppets, theatre games, and dress-up props to express their characters. They read, create stories, and perform small plays, building listening skills, communication, and verbal expression through self-discovery and creativity.
Teenagers’ apprenticeship
In collaboration with Future School, we offer an apprenticeship program through which students may participate in our activities as assistant facilitators.
We also welcome Auroville youth aged 16 and above who wish to remain engaged with Lilaloka and have expressed a sincere interest in working with children. This initiative provides an opportunity for meaningful involvement, skill development, and continued connection with our learning environment.
Nature theatre
Nature’s Theatre was created by Anna Oijevaar and is a playground where the one becomes the many and the many become one.
Theatre is a collaborative art form that encompasses various art forms. To make it accessible to children, the most effective entry point is through play. Our effort is to use theatre games to explore children’s voices, sense of rhythm, body and mind coordination, and imagination. We achieve this by incorporating traditional games, playing in mud, and using nature as a backdrop. Through nature’s theatre, children can understand and connect with trees, nature, and their own existence.
Yoga sessions
Stage One:
We begin by helping children tune in to their own bodies—learning to listen, feel, and move with greater flexibility, awareness, and concentration. Through imaginative stories, games, and themes inspired by animals and nature, we explore movement in a playful and engaging way.
Advanced Stage:
At this level, children learn a sequence of postures and gradually integrate them into a smooth, flowing practice.
Beyond the wonderful physical and mental benefits of yoga, our primary goal in offering these sessions is to cultivate self-awareness—encouraging children to understand, appreciate, and connect with the unique abilities of the bodies they have.
The Creative Space
The Creative Space was designed to nurture each child’s artistic side—a place to explore, create, and express freely. Encouraging collaboration and social interaction, it welcomes children of all ages to work together on group projects or to express their individuality. With the support of our facilitators, children are inspired to let their imaginations run wild, building confidence and strengthening their sense of self-expression.
OT and gross coordination stimulation activities
We provide a dedicated space that supports the physical development of children, focusing on sensory and perceptual abilities, as well as fine and gross motor skills. Our approach is playful, goal-oriented, and nurturing, ensuring that each child feels supported and engaged.
This program serves learners with diverse abilities, including those with special educational needs, ensuring that each child can progress at their own pace.
Games
Respect for all and of each one, responsibility for one’s actions and speech/words, autonomy on the individual and collective level, love, and sharing are essential parts of my work.
Academic support
We also offer academic support when needed through Montessori tools in a holistic integral way.
Facilitators training
Lilaloka is a resource centre where each child is seen as an evolving human being. Education research is of utmost importance as children open the way to the future. To develop new educational approaches and places for all, based on free choice, creativity, and non-judgment, is a demand expressed by many families. We offer training in different fields of our expertise. Please reach out to see which trainings are offered presently.
Collaboration with Supportive Learning Satellite Unit (SLS)
The Supportive Learning Satellite (SLS) was established to address the following needs:
- Children requiring specialized education: This includes those who benefit from individualized support or additional assistance on our school grounds due to unique characteristics.
- Students facing specific challenges: This encompasses a range of learning disorders, such as ADD, ADHD, Autism, ODD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and other learning difficulties.
- The support provided can focus on either academic or behavioral aspects and typically occurs in one-on-one sessions or small group settings.
- “SLS” is open to all children, no matter which educational system they are part of. The aim is to provide individual attention, continuity, and follow-up.
Activities under review and development
Discovering Medicinal plants
We learn the use of mainly local medicinal plants playfully.
The activity is based on teamwork: together we honor Mother Earth, each other, and the world around us, explore and learn how we can support each other.
We do this by exploring the land around us and learning to recognise medicinal plants that can help our body and mind to be healthy and comfortable. We learn how to prepare the remedies (the children call them magic potions).
The science room
We have a room dedicated to discovery and experiments. A child should always have space to wonder, discover, and experiment, to follow instructions or have an idea, and find their way through trial and error.In this space, the child learns to understand the relationship between elements.
One of my favorites is when the child learns that a tiny bit of something more or a tiny bit of something less can make a difference.
Magical sensory garden
Our Sensory Magical Garden is a vibrant and enchanting space that awakens a sense of wonder and deep discovery. It is a place where children can explore, play, and learn through their senses—touching textures, seeing colors, hearing sounds, and interacting with natural elements. Here, soul qualities such as light, silence, truth, beauty, and joy can be expressed, and every child is supported and inspired to find their own little light within.
The garden’s activities are designed to nurture curiosity, creativity, and sensory development while enhancing fine and gross motor skills, coordination, and cognitive growth—all within a safe, playful, and nurturing environment.
Nature and horses
This activity consists of equine activities for physically and mentally different-abled children and children with special needs.