Quotes

"Play is the foundation of future learning. It builds curiosity, creativity, social skills and all-round development. With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 endorsing a play-based approach to education for young children, the time is now right to implement this."Rukmini BanerjiCEO, Pratham Education Foundation

“Play comes naturally to a child as it is an essential and inborn ingredient for the child's brain growth. Depriving a child of play opportunities is nothing short of depriving them the right to grow and develop.”Venita KaulProfessor Emerita-Education, Ambedkar University Delhi

"Play is the most joyful and deepest form of learning but is treated by adults like a privilege. If we want happy, well-adjusted children, we need to bring back childhood and bring back play."Nita Luthria RowDirector, Adhyayan Quality Education Foundation 

"A child's laughter holds the power to heal wounds that words cannot. In a country where nearly 50% of children coexist with crises due to conflict, natural disasters, or harsh geographies, play and joyful learning give them the chance to reclaim their right to thrive, not just survive."Ashish Shalini ShrivastavaCo-Founder, Shiksharth

"Every child deserves holistic growth (physical, mental and emotional) nurtured through learning, play, and leisure--essential as food for the body. Play isn’t just extracurricular, it’s fundamental. Play teaches democratic values and how to balance freedom with responsibility."Parul Sheth Founder Trustee and Executive Director, Shaishav Child Rights

"Play is a primal, instinctive learning process for children. An unstructured exploration, it helps develop their cognitive, social, and emotional skills holistically. And children know how to play. Attempting to teach ‘play’ is like instructing a fish to swim or a bird to fly!"Reva Jhingan Malik Co-Founder, Primalise

"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