Click here to learn more about how you can celebrate childhood as a parent or carer

Playground >> Read

Our Children Have Told Us A Wonderful Story

Author : Rohini Nilekani, Co-Founder and Director of EkStep Foundation

Tags : Article, ASER, Play

This article was published in the Times of India on March 2, 2025

What started as a one-rupee comic habit at a kirana shop grew into a quiet revolution. In Bhopal’s forgotten lanes, Saba Khan’s community libraries are rewriting what’s possible for girls, one story at a time.

Pankaj Mishra

How can educators create engaging, structured numeracy lessons using Teaching-Learning Materials (TLMs) and math games? Watch this Masterclass by Language and Learning Foundation (LLF) to explore effective strategies for foundational numeracy!

The Language and Learning Foundation

Factory crèches in India were envisioned as essential support systems for working parents in industrial sectors. Yet, over time, many have struggled to meet the realities of workers’ lives—often overcrowded, under-resourced, or inaccessible due to safety and timing constraints. The pandemic deepened these challenges, leaving gaps that disproportionately impact women in the workforce. What if factory crèches were designed not just to meet mandates but to truly support workers? Could flexible, worker-driven childcare models—ones that align with shift timings, ensure safe spaces, and factor in the needs of migrant parents—offer better solutions? Initiatives like Munnade and Samvada Baduku highlight how centring worker voices in childcare design can make a difference. There is space here for reimagining childcare in industrial settings—not as a checkbox for compliance but as an enabler of workforce stability, gender equity, and child well-being. Exploring creative solutions, from integrating technology for real-time updates to rethinking locations and operational models, could open up new possibilities for both parents and employers.

Devina

Do we interrupt children’s thoughts without realizing it? Explore why silence is an essential part of learning—and how stepping back can allow a child’s mind to truly grow.

Pallavi Poojari Mohindra

The Shifting Landscape of Childcare in India: Can Daycare Centres Survive? For decades, daycare centres were a lifeline for working parents, offering structured care, education, and a sense of community. But the pandemic rewrote the rules. As remote work, home-based care, and shifting parental preferences take hold, many daycare centres are struggling to stay afloat. Enrolments have dropped, staff shortages are rampant, and air pollution-driven school closures add to the uncertainty. So, what happens next? Will traditional daycare models adapt to meet the changing needs of families? Or are we witnessing the rise of a new era in childcare—one shaped by flexibility, community networks, and digital learning? As we explore the daycare crisis across Delhi, one thing is clear: childcare in India is at a crossroads, and its future depends on reinvention.

Devina

Missed the Masterclass? Watch the recording to learn how to establish a Creativity Club, explore low-resource activity ideas, and access a toolkit to spark young minds!

Pratham Education Foundation

Missed the Masterclass? Watch the recording to uncover key caregiver personas and their influence on children's learning in the digital age!

Reshma Bachwani, Illume

Home

About the Mission

Collabactors at Work

Events

Playground

Wall of Wonder

Share your Story

Newsletter

Follow Bachpan Manao on Social Media

Follow Bachpan Manao, Badhte Jao on Social Media

Contact Us at bachpanmanao@gmail.com