Explore the fascinating child-toy bond and evolving childhood ideals from Britain and America to postcolonial India. “Toying with Childhood” delves into literary depictions and psychoanalytic theories by Freud and Winnicott to reveal how cultural perceptions construct notions of innocence and play. This study highlights compelling parallels in 20th-century Indian English literature, offering unique insights into Indian childhoods. Essential for students and researchers of childhood studies, literature, psychology, and sociology, it’s a vital read for understanding cultural perceptions of childhood in India.