Archive · 22 Sep 2026
India’s Childhood Conversation Turns From Screens Toward Play
Many young children in India spend more time on screens than doctors recommend.
The Indian Academy of Paediatrics says children under two should generally avoid screens.
It says children aged two to five should have no more than one hour a day.
A survey found that screens are especially common during meals and when parents are unsure about setting limits.
Screens can take time away from playing with other children.
Play helps children learn to share, wait, create, and solve problems.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said adults should offer sports, creative work, and physical play instead of only taking devices away.
The Bachpan Manao campaign asks families to choose more play and less screen time.
Its newer campaign also says that quiet time and boredom can be valuable for children.
The Indian Academy of Paediatrics recommends no screens before age two, except occasional video calls, and no more than one hour daily for children aged two to five.
Indian preschoolers reportedly average about 2.7 hours of screen time daily, well above the recommended limit.
A 2024 survey of more than 3,600 parents linked excessive use to device-fed meals, doubts about speech effects, and a lack of household limits.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged teachers and parents to replace screen use with sports, physical play, and creative activities rather than relying only on confiscation.
EkStep Foundation’s Bachpan Manao campaign promotes “Less Screen, More Play” and its second-year Bachpan is Gr8 initiative, emphasizing play, creativity, nature, stories, and quiet time.
- Who
- Indian preschool children, their parents, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, teachers, and the EkStep Foundation’s Bachpan Manao campaign.
- What
- A national conversation is encouraging families to reduce young children’s screen time and replace it with play, creativity, physical activity, nature, stories, and quiet time.
- When
- The cited parent survey was conducted in 2024; Bachpan Manao began in September 2023, with related events in January 2025 and a second-year initiative afterward.
- Where
- India, including campaign activities in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, and research across five northern states.
- Why
- The campaign and recommendations aim to address screen use that may displace play and other early-childhood experiences.
- Paediatric guidance
- No screens under age two except occasional video calls; no more than one hour daily for ages two to five.
- Reported average use
- Indian preschoolers reportedly spend about 2.7 hours per day on screens.
- Survey
- A 2024 survey included more than 3,600 parents of children aged two to five across five northern states.
- Associated factors
- Device use during feeding, doubts about effects on speech development, and absent household limits were linked to excessive use.
- Campaign launch
- Bachpan Manao was launched by EkStep Foundation in September 2023 with more than 77 partner organisations; the total later exceeded 100.
- First-year pledge
- The campaign’s pledge was “Less Screen, More Play,” and it crossed 75,000 pledges over nine months.
- Second-year theme
- Bachpan is Gr8 highlights eight aspects of childhood, including play, creativity, nature, stories, and quiet time.