The puppets singing and dancing to the popular children’s song from the Bollywood film Masoom Lakdi Ke Kathi

Paint Our World had a New Year party for over 50 children on 6 January 2011. Organised by Priya Virmani, the party was held in the grounds of a school in Sealdah, Kolkata. The day’s events began with an art session where the children deligently drew beautiful images of their choice using wax crayons.


This was followed by an animated session of singing English nursery rhymes. Due to popular demand there was a repeated rendition of their favourite song ‘When you are happy and you know it say All Izzz Well’. Standing in a big circle, holding hands, in peals of laughter the children would run and close in on the circle on the chorus of the song! And they learnt to sing ‘It’s a Small World’!


The highlight of the day’s events was a puppet show that was preceded by a magic show. The magician performed his tricks to chart topping Latin American numbers. He cleverly incorporated the children into the tricks and had them up on the pedestal and dancing with him as part of the routine. The children did not quite understand how, involuntarily, together with the magician they were also performing the tricks. This left them completely mesmerised!


The puppet show was such an astounding success that everyone was on their feet and dancing. As a special request from the children the hour long puppet show was extended to a further 45 minutes where they all sang and danced along with the puppets. The surprise entry was that of Charlie Chaplin – whose slapstick moves saw the children burst into peals of laughter. The puppet show finale after lunch, was a fitting end to a beautiful, fun packed day for the children.