I am always in search of new places in Delhi to take my 2.5 years old daughter - Shravya, where she can have fun and at the same time learn something new as well. I got to know about National Bal Bhavan from a friend, and to be honest, I was not aware that such a place even exist in Delhi. On searching the web, I found that even though the place caters to kids aged between 5-16, there are still many attractions that can be seen with a toddler and decided to plan a day trip before the onset of summers.
Overview
Based at Kotla Road in Central Delhi and operated under the supervision of Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), National Bal Bhavan is a children specific institution that aims in providing a platform where kids can come together and learn, grow, play and interact with one another and express themselves in a barrier free environment. We went on a Saturday as the place is closed on both Sunday and Monday. The entry fee is pretty basic at Rs 20/adult and kids up to 16 years are free to enter.
Key Attractions at Bal Bhavan
Bal Bhavan has both indoor and outdoor facilities. On entering the premises we witnessed a huge cage comprising assorted range of birds, rabbits and guinea pigs. Further we went to the Magic Mirrors section where there were numerous glasses depicting our distorted images. Shravya was trying to figure out the reason for this reflection and it was fun to view her peculiar expressions.
We further strolled around the park area where I could see children training for their respective sport. Even Shravya had a little run around the park, and as always, she resisted coming out of it. We then went to the Children's Museum and I must say that ample care has been taken to include those things that cater to children of all age groups. I was surprised to see a large variety of toys, dolls, musical instruments, craft material, utensils, etc all sourced from different places and giving us a glimpse of their culture.
After spending some time at the museum it was time to go to the prime attraction of the facility - The Mini Toy Train - where kids and elders both were excited to hop on and take its ride. The train runs at fixed hours and has a separate ticket, so it is better you query in advance so that you don't have to wait. The steam locomotive is one of the smallest and so is the track gauge on which it plies. It was a 10 minute ride around the facility depicting India's history and culture of different states through wall paintings. The train also passes through bridges and tunnels to make the ride look more realistic. A fund and educational ride which should not be missed at all.
Our next destination was the Mini Aquarium which was based in small room. The walls of the room had pictures of sea creatures and in between one can see numerous aquariums possessing different varieties of fishes. We spent about 10 minutes here before moving to the swings area. The quality of the swings was pretty average but good enough to keep Shravya occupied for 10-15 minutes. We further went to a small canteen to grab a quick snack.
After spending about 2 hours in the premises it was time for us to leave. There were several other attractions such as Traffic Park and Science Park which we were not able to cover. The premises was clean, the staff was very helpful, and the overall quality of the things placed there was satisfactory. Bal Bhavan also offers membership services for kids and they can enroll in several events happening during the year.
Nearest Metro Station: Mandi House
Opening Hours: Ticket window opens from 9:30AM to 5 PM
Opening Hours: Ticket window opens from 9:30AM to 5 PM
