BENGALURU: Gadgets and screen time is taking over everybody’s life especially children aged 2 to 8 years. Writer and philanthropist, Rohini Nilekani released a book, The Playbook of Play at Makkala Habba organised at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Saturday. The book has blank pages and says ‘No Instructions Needed’, allowing children to write or draw whatever they want or imagine on these blank pages. Thus, helping them unlock their holistic development and cognitive abilities.
Addressing the audience during the launch of her book, she said, “In the last decade, Neuroscience has supported the theory that free and unstructured play allows the brain to develop better, and many more neural connections can be built. The first eight years of life are critical for brain development as almost 80% of brain develops at this time.”
She added, “I do understand and sympathise with the parents of the current generation that parents try to bring structure or patterns while they play to avoid them getting glued to mobile screens. Parents must understand that the kind of skills that a child would need for any future jobs including engineering, medical or law are changing every day.
Therefore, parents have to unleash the children’s ability to learn for themselves in a complex and changing world. Don’t rob the childhood of children in fear and anxiety of the future.”
She advised the parents to celebrate childhood ‘Bachpan Manao’. “It is a societal responsibility and that is what we are trying to do through this book.
We must take note that our government at the state and central levels is also encouraging children to celebrate childhood through their New National Curriculum Framework, NIPUN Bharat programmes. We have the largest programme of anganwadi centres in the country, where children are encouraged to learn while they play,” Rohini explained.
The Playbook of Play is available on the website ‘Bachpan Manao’ to download and can be printed by the parents for their kids.