For children, learning rarely begins with a theory. It begins with a gesture: picking something up, turning it around, trying to fit two pieces together, making a mistake, and trying again. This simple sequence is at the heart of Ekoplay's approach to educational design. For more than 25 years, the Hyderabad-based company has been developing and manufacturing learning materials designed to make education tangible, engaging, and playful. Its products range from wooden educational puzzles to geography and curriculum-based learning materials, but the underlying design challenge remains consistent: how can an object invite a child to explore an idea rather than simply explain it? For Ekoplay, the answer lies in designing for the hands as much as for the mind. In 1985, Rajika Dhiren opened a kindergarten in Hyderabad, inspired by her mother's long-standing commitment to education. The experience revealed a practical problem: schools and children often lacked high-quality learning materials that could make educational concepts accessible through direct experience. That insight eventually led to the creation of Edcraft in 1994, with a focus on research-based educational tools. The company also collaborated with the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, now NIEPID, to co-develop and distribute learning materials for children across India, from pre-primary through vocational education The Indian company has been developing educational materials for children, with a particular focus on wooden puzzles and hands-on learning. Its approach grew from a background in early childhood education and work with children with different learning needs, an experience that continues to influence how the company thinks about design. The central question is deceptively straightforward: How do you design an object that makes a child want to learn? From information to interaction Educational content is often presented as something to be read, watched, or memorized. A puzzle proposes

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