How Our Children Built This Website
Recently, our children participated in an educational exhibition where they showcased the Utthista Bharata curriculum they built and played games with visitors. During the event, adults asked them direct questions about what their day looks like, what the Gurukulam is like, and what they actually do there.
When the children returned, they shared how funny they found some of those questions—and how they realized that even when explained, some people simply struggled to grasp how play-based learning works or what a learning space without traditional classrooms looks like.
During our discussions, we asked the children to share on how they had seen parents and other adults talk about Leela Gurukulam, also where they noticed people getting stuck or failing to understand. The children shared their observations on these communication gaps and how listeners processed the information.
“Okay, if these are the questions people are asking and you’re finding it funny, what is Leela Gurukulam really to you?”
“It’s a place where we come to learn how to be a better person and the best version of ourselves.”
As we discussed further, they realized something profound: none of their parents had the same starting point or journey to reach Leela Gurukulam. Every single family’s path was entirely unique, driven by different searches and distinct needs. Yet, they all arrived at the same destination.
That realization shaped our vision. The website shouldn’t speak to just one rigid mold, because the breadth of what Leela Gurukulam offers touches lives differently. Instead, it should authentically tell the true story of our spaces and let everyone find their own resonance – knowing that if they connect with it, this space is for them.
Together, we came to a shared conclusion: instead of trying to over-explain, the website should simply tell the true story of Leela Gurukulam and show its spaces as they are. If someone connects with that authentic view, they will know this space is for them.
With this foundation, their website-building journey officially began!
We hopped on a quick Zoom meeting where the children discussed which images and pictures they wanted to feature on the website to showcase their curriculum, and you can catch glimpses of those discussions right here!
The very next day, the kids stepped into the spaces and took photos exactly how they wanted the world to see it.
After that, they sat down with us to map out the entire flow: deciding the exact order of the spaces, what should come first, and what story needed to be told about each area. Once that vision was clear, we worked alongside them to refine the language and content.
Then they sat down with their mentor, learning hands-on how to use AI to bring this website to life.
