In April 2025, Childhood Unlocked brought together over 100 people under one roof in Bengaluru—each one united by a simple but powerful belief: that every child deserves a joyful, playful start to their learning journey.
Childhood Unlocked is a one-day annual event that spotlights and celebrates government efforts in furthering excellent Early Childhood Education for all children. The 2025 edition highlighted the government of Karnataka’s efforts in initiating Early Childhood programs in government schools as envisioned by the National Education Policy.
Hosted by Key Education Foundation in partnership with Bachpan Manao, the event was a celebration of Karnataka’s tremendous strides in Early Childhood Education (ECE). 2018 saw only fewer than 200 schools which has now expanded to over 3,000 government schools implementing a two-year pre-primary program!
At the heart of this success are the unsung heroes—government officials across districts and within the Samagra Shiksha team—who have worked tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to bring this vision to life. Through Childhood Unlocked, we attempted to recognize and felicitate these champions who believed in the potential of joyful early learning and made it a reality by partnering with Key Education Foundation every step of the way.
The event was full of stories—told not only through data and presentations but through songs, games, colours, and voices from the ground. Teachers from model classrooms demonstrated their joyful daily routines. A parent, in an intimate fireside chat, spoke of aspirations and expectations that deeply resonated with all present. And perhaps most powerful of all, children aged four and five took to the stage in a heartwarming performance that ended with a simple, urgent message: “Please let us play.”
The day wasn’t just about listening—it was about experiencing. True to KEF’s philosophy that learning must be multisensory and joyful, participants immersed themselves in playful exhibits. They jumped into a life-sized snakes and ladders game, played math card games with teachers (in collaboration with J-PAL), explored childhood stories at the Bachpan Manao stall by EkStep Foundation, and got their hands messy with finger painting. Play wasn’t a part of the day—it was the day.
And through all the laughter and colour, here are 5 lessons that we believe is integral to encourage play:
- To make decisions for young children, we must reconnect with our own childlike joy and freedom.
- Children, no matter how young, know what they need—and they’ll tell you: play is the way.
- When more than 100 people choose to spend their day reimagining childhood, transformation feels possible.
- Creating festive, playful spaces opens up conversations of possibility, not just challenges.
- It truly takes a village—and when we expand that definition to include parents, communities, teachers, and systems, we all grow stronger.
Childhood Unlocked was more than an event—it was a reminder of what education can and should be. As KEF looks ahead, we hope to make this an annual celebration that always centers the voices of children and reminds us that childhood is not a problem to be solved, but a festival to be celebrated.
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