This recreation centre in Khar facilitates children's social and cognitive development through physical playtime

A child tries out the wall climbing setup at the space (right) the reading area also hosts immersive experiential books

Ask a toddler today who their best friend is, and you're likely to hear names like Baby Shark, Peppa Pig or JJ from their favourite YouTube series. "Interacting with children of their own age is a vital part of building social development skills in children, but we're unfortunately straying further away from it every day," shares pre-primary school educator Sonakshi Bhalekar. PLAY, Bhalekar's new venture with sibling Kshitij Agarwal, will aim to bridge the gap with workshops, activities and educational games.

Shreya Kapoor

"When my daughter turned one, I struggled to find a peaceful playspace that could engage her in social and cognitive activities. Parents often mistake a buzzing space for a healthy one. When children are overstimulated, they ultimately experience an energy crash and subsequent mood swings once they're back home," shares Bhalekar. To address this pitfall, the new space is spread over a 1,100 sq ft area with designated areas for play, reading, and exploring your creative side.

"The wall climbing area and the sensory play areas seem to be the favourites," Agarwal remarks. The sensory play area, equipped with brightly coloured toys, crayons and canvases, help kindle the child's creative abilities, Bhalekar claims. For tots who might need a larger space, a glow-in-the-dark room offers its walls for the young prodigies to unleash their imagination. "It's a constant learning process. We are keeping a keen eye on how children react to each of these activities to reshape it to their needs," the co-founders admit. The space is open to children from the ages of six months to eight years.

Sonakshi Bhalekar and Kshitij Agarwal

For mom-preneur Shreya Kapoor, who organised a DIY dandiya night at the space yesterday, the benefits of such activities are manifold. "Festivals are the perfect time to bond with your child. We plan such sessions on weekends to ensure working parents can make time for a fun family outing. When children dress up in traditional attire and lend a hand in the décor, these memories remain etched in their impressionable minds," she points out, adding that the trio plans to collaborate soon for upcoming Halloween, Diwali and Christmas festivities.

AT Ground floor, Shyamkunj CHS, Linking Road, Khar West.
TIME 11 am to 8 pm
LOG ON TO @playbytwotinythoughts (for cost and upcoming events)