“Play is the highest form of research.” — Albert Einstein
Some places just feel like home. Lions Hope Home in Kothanur is one of those places for us — and in March, we were back, and it felt as good as ever.
The children greeted us with the kind of energy that makes you forget everything else. And honestly? We matched it.
Songs, Rhythm, and a Little Chaos (The Good Kind)
We kicked things off with singing — a favourite action song that starts at a perfectly reasonable pace and then, slowly but surely, gets faster. And faster. And faster. By the end, the room was a delightful blur of flailing arms, wide grins, and breathless laughter. The children were absolutely electric, racing to keep up and dissolving into giggles when they couldn’t. It was the kind of moment that fills a room so completely, you never want it to end.
Dodgeball Showdown
Next up: dodgeball. And what a showdown it was. The kids were nimble, focused, and fiercely competitive — in the most joyful way possible. There was ducking, there was dashing, there was the occasional dramatic tumble, and there was a whole lot of cheering. We love how a simple game can light a child up from the inside.
Puppet Making — and the Star of the Show
Then came the craft activity: making puppets. We handed out materials, explained the process, and watched as creativity took over the room. Each child threw themselves into it — choosing colours, designing faces, giving their puppets names and personalities before they were even finished.
And then there was that moment.
One of the children, deep in concentration, finished assembling their puppet — only to realise it was upside down. The eyes were where the chin should be. The whole thing was, technically, a beautiful mess.
What did they do? They paused. They looked at it. And then, with the most cheerful expression imaginable, they turned right back around and started again from scratch — no frustration, no fuss, just pure, quiet determination and a smile that said I’ve got this.
It was one of those small, unscripted moments that reminds you exactly why we do this. That child taught us more about resilience in ten seconds than most of us manage in a lifetime.
Until Next Time
Every visit to Lions Hope Home sends us home full — full of laughter, full of gratitude, full of love. These children give us so much more than we could ever give them.
We can’t wait to go back.
If you’d like to be part of moments like these — whether by volunteering or donating — we would love to have you with us. Come join the movement and help us keep showing up for the children who make it all worthwhile.
“The soul is healed by being with children.”
