Children learn best through joy and play, Let them celebrate childhood, their way
बच्चों को हंसते-खेलते सीखने दो,
उन्हें बचपन मनाने दो

Play is the heart of early childhood. But screens often get in the way, taking time away from play, which brings learning, growth and joy!

Less Screen More Play

By taking this pledge, you join a community committed to reducing screen time and bringing more play into children’s lives.

Thank you!!
    PLEDGES TAKEN

    Play is the ultimate cheat code for joyful learning! It has the potential to unlock a range of learning opportunities

    Bachpan Manao

    is a social mission about making the most of the early childhood opportunity for learning and growth for India's youngest children. It is about recognizing that:
    Learning in early childhood (0-8) happens best through joy and play.
    Making the most of this opportunity means :
    • Allowing children (and yourself) to celebrate and enjoy their childhood fully
    • Giving children the best foundation for
      all-round development
    • Setting children up to learn, grow and succeed
    • Enabling children to thrive and drive equity, over time
    There are 4 main areas to understand and act on within this mission
    • The 0-8 year urgency and opportunity

    • The importance and advantage of
      all-round development

    • The abundant learning opportunities around each child

    • The power of play in children’s learning and growth

    Bachpan Manao is an invitation from EkStep Foundation and NDTV.
    Show Your Love

    Bringing the Celebration Alive

    Stories

    Voices of Play - A Manifesto for Every Child

    Voices of Play - A Manifesto for Every Child

    The Voices of Play initiative aimed to build a Play Manifesto, crafted by the children themselves, with support from REACH Collective, Shiksharth, and EkStep Foundation

    Whats All The Fuss About? Who Needs To Be Convinced That Play Is Good For Children?

    Whats All The Fuss About? Who Needs To Be Convinced That Play Is Good For Children?

    Play naturally fosters creativity, allowing children to tell stories, construct with twigs and rocks, and imagine shapes in clouds.

    Play Is Plenty: Why Were Choosing Play, Every Day

    Play Is Plenty: Why Were Choosing Play, Every Day

    Play is how children learn best. It's not extra. It's essential.

    Blog: The Learning Brain: Nurturing Your Childs Development With Patience And Engagement

    Blog: The Learning Brain: Nurturing Your Childs Development With Patience And Engagement

    Learn the importance of responsive relationships, language-rich environments, routines, and active play in fostering your child's brain development

    Blog: Finding And Decoding Play In the Chores, Chaos And Care

    Blog: Finding And Decoding Play In the Chores, Chaos And Care

    Play is a vital component of a child's growth. It can be integrated into everyday activities,transforming mundane tasks into good learning experiences

    Bachpan Manao, Loriyaan Sunao: Celebrating Lullabies With The First Songs Project

    Bachpan Manao, Loriyaan Sunao: Celebrating Lullabies With The First Songs Project

    Bachpan Manao has launched First Songs' a repository of over 100 lullabies in 13 Indian languages collected from families across India

    The Significance Of  Play: Enhancing  Brain Development,  Skills, And Happiness  In Children

    The Significance Of Play: Enhancing Brain Development, Skills, And Happiness In Children

    Play is essential for brain development, building neural pathways while enhancing problem-solving abilities and social skills in children

    Play Isn't Just Fun, It's Science: Dr Zirak Marker

    Play Isn't Just Fun, It's Science: Dr Zirak Marker

    Teaching children about failure, anger management, and empathy is vital. Prioritising play over excessive screen time fosters healthy life

    A Parents' Guide To Less Screen, More Play For Children

    A Parents' Guide To Less Screen, More Play For Children

    Play shapes young minds! From pretend games to outdoor adventures, every moment builds skills and happiness

    How Can We Ensure A Balanced Childhood? Experts' Parental Guidance To Reduce Screen Time

    How Can We Ensure A Balanced Childhood? Experts' Parental Guidance To Reduce Screen Time

    Mrunal Shah, Founder of Sunday Bricks champions environments and interactions that allow children to thrive

    Sharing the Festive Feeling

    More
    • Kareena Kapoor Khan
      “As parents and caregivers, let’s make time to play and learn with our children, making it a priority for every child everywhere.”Kareena Kapoor KhanActor & National Ambassador, UNICEF India
    • Ayushmann Khurrana
      “Going out, playing with friends, and having a good time with family are important for children because they help in overall development and support their mental, physical, and emotional well-being.” Ayushmann KhurranaActor & National Ambassador, UNICEF India
    • Shabana Azmi
      "I feel that childhood can only be enriched when you get a chance to step out of your house, meet other children too, and enjoy the outdoors. It’s important to celebrate childhood as you grow."Shabana AzmiActor
    • Cynthia McCaffrey
      “Play is not a luxury. It's an essential part of a child's ability to both survive and thrive.”Cynthia McCaffreyRepresentative, UNICEF India
    • Jyothika
      "All parents say that children should get good marks. I believe that achieving good marks also requires physical strength and good blood circulation. Playing outside is essential for brain activity."JyothikaActor
    • Guranshi Sharma
      "We know education is important, but so are play and sports, as they keep you refreshed, active, and energetic. They support both physical and mental development.”Guranshi SharmaBadminton Deaflympics Gold Medallist, UNICEF India Youth Advocate
    • Sunisha Ahuja
      "Play is essential for all children, everywhere. Play is more than just fun. It's a powerful tool for learning, exploration, and building a happy, healthy future. Praise them, stay enthusiastic, appreciate and encourage them."Sunisha AhujaEducation Specialist (Foundational Learning) UNICEF India

    Collabactors At Work

    The 100+ collabactors of Bachpan Manao are partners driven by purpose. They can:

    (1) Generate insights and content to raise the level of conversation

    (2) Implement on-ground initiatives for mindset and behaviour change

    We call this Collabaction – collaborating for action and impact.