When my daughter called my beloved medu vadai “donuts”, the questions I’d been silently asking grew louder:

“Can I raise her to be a global citizen while staying rooted in her culture? Can culture be fun, not forced?”

I’m Srividya, mother to a 4-year-old. After moving to Dubai from India, I noticed her mother tongue slowly slipping away—from daily chatter with shopkeepers to playtime with English-speaking friends.

As a parent, I’ve seen how play teaches life’s lessons. But when it came to pretend-play toys reflecting our culture, there was… nothing. Pizza, burgers, dinosaurs—but no toys to teach her words, colours, and traditions from home.

Doesn’t every culture deserve a spot on the toy shelf?

RootEd Play exists to answer that question. Our first product: RootEd Talking Flashcards—curated words in your mother tongue and English, starting with Hindi, Malayalam, Bengali, and more.

Soon, we’ll launch handcrafted, sustainable toy sets bringing Indian culture into every playroom. Whether modern or traditional, hand painted or battery-run, every toy we design will have one thing in common. They’ll always tell your children the most important tale – the story of where they come from.

If you’ve ever worried your child might forget their roots, join us. Support our heartmade brand, and one day, your child might count to ten in your native language, as naturally as their ABCs.

Srividya
A parent like you