Play is more than just fun and games it’s one of the most important ways children learn and grow. Sadly, many adults still think of play as just something children do in their free time. But actually, play helps children build the skills they’ll need later in life like how to think, solve problems, express emotions, and work with others.

Experts around the world, including the World Economic Forum, agree that when we give children enough time and space to play, we’re giving them a better chance to grow into confident, curious, and capable adults. Without enough play, children miss out on important learning opportunities. One way to understand how children learn through play is by looking at something called the Developmental Play approach. This method was created in India and is especially helpful for supporting differently abled children, right from infancy. It brings together ideas from many fields like psychology, education, therapy, and brain science to support children in becoming happier, healthier, better learners, and kinder friends.

This approach is often explained using a pyramid with four layers. At the bottom are the first types of play babies engage in like touching, tasting, and moving around. This kind of play helps babies understand their bodies and build strong bonds with caregivers. Feeling safe and loved during this time helps the brain grow in healthy ways. As children grow, they move to the next layer: exploring the world around them. This might mean shaking a rattle, crawling to reach a toy, or making a mess with paint. These activities may seem simple, but they help children understand cause and effect, take risks, and enjoy discovering new things.

Then comes a stage where children start making sense of patterns and sequences. You might notice a child watching the same movie over and over or playing the same game repeatedly. This helps them understand order, language, and meaning. At the top of the pyramid is imaginative play. This is when children start pretending, like becoming pirates or superheroes and learning how to follow rules, solve problems, and play with others. But for this kind of play to work well, the layers underneath it needs to be strong. If a child struggles with imaginative play, it may mean they need more time with the earlier stages of play to build confidence and skills.

This pyramid isn’t just a theory, it can help teachers and caregivers support all children, including those with special needs. When schools and homes include different types of play, they make learning more hands-on, joyful, and inclusive. Sesame Workshop India programs like Learn. Play. Grow. are bringing this idea to life across many different states in India. They train teachers and families to make learning fun and playful for children aged 3 to 8. Through stories, songs, games, and colourful materials, children learn about language, numbers, feelings, health, hygiene, and getting ready for school. All of this happens through play, because play is how children grow best.

But wait, there’s more! If you think play is all about kids running laissez faire, think again. In our next episode of Beyond the Street, we flip the lens: what do children say about play? And where do the grown-ups fit in? Can teachers stop hovering and start helping? And what in the world is “Sustained Shared Thinking”?! Find out in Part 2: “Boss Fight: Adulting in a Child’s Play Zone”