Yet, while experts continue to expound a powerful argument for theimportance of play in children’s lives, the actual time children spend playingcontinues to decrease. Today, children play eight hours less each week thantheir counterparts did two decades ago (Elkind 2008). Under pressure of risingacademic standards, play is being replaced by test preparation inkindergartens and grade schools, and parents who aim to give theirpreschoolers a leg up are led to believe that flashcards and educational ‘toys’are the path to success. Our society has created a false dichotomy betweenplay and learning.