In the fast-changing urban landscape of India, children are increasingly being raised in environments where screens have replaced swings, and digital interactions have begun to substitute real-world play. This study explores the nuanced cognitive and emotional effects of play deprivation in the context of increasing digitalization among urban Indian children aged 6 to 12 years. A total of 200 participants from cities across Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Mumbai were assessed using both quantitative scales and qualitative interviews. Preliminary findings suggest that higher screen time is associated with reduced working memory scores and lower emotional well-being, particularly in children with limited opportunities for unstructured play. Thematic analysis of interviews revealed recurring concerns such as social isolation, emotional dysregulation, digital dependency, and parental struggle to mediate device use. While digital tools are often integrated into children's educational and recreational routines, the findings raise critical concerns about the cognitive and emotional costs of such integration when unmoderated. The study calls for a balanced approach—one that reclaims play not as a luxury, but as a developmental necessity. It advocates for conscious parenting, urban play-friendly policies, and curriculum reforms to preserve childhood's imaginative and emotional richness in the digital age.