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Born to play

Spontaneous yet rule-bound, fun yet vitally beneficial – play shapes the period of explosive growth from birth to adolescence. This universal human activity not only helps us understand our social and cognitive development, but also offers us a glimpse into broader society.

Words by Devika Madgavkar

  • In pictures

About the author

Devika Madgavkar

Devika Madgavkar is a senior at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai, India. Her interests focus on the history of health and paediatrics. She has been a volunteer with play therapy programmes at the Dr Ernest Borges Memorial Home for paediatric cancer patients and at the Ummeed Child Development Centre, an NGO at the forefront of developmental paediatrics in India.