The (Play Love And You) PLAY study is a randomized controlled trial being conducted in Soweto, South Africa.The intervention lasts from birth to 24 months, and assessments are made when the infants are 12- and 24- months of age.

Predictions have estimated that 250 million children under the age of five living in low-to-middle-income countries (43%) are at risk of not meeting their development potential.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently published guidelines for improving ECD: 1) responsive caregiving, 2) promotion of early learning, 3) integration of nutrition and caregiving interventions, and 4) supporting maternal mental health.