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With the elimination of recess, an intensified focus on learning outside of school, and the increased seriousness of youth sports, children’s opportunities for free play have reached the brink of extinction. Now more than ever, children need a sanctioned area in the home where play is not only allowed, but also facilitated and encouraged.

Decades ago, a wise man recognized the importance of play by creating an entire neighborhood that has fertilized the imaginations of millions. Mister Fred Rogers summarized the motivation of his work by explaining, “Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”

“When kids play, they remember. They may not be aware they are learning, but they are aware they are having fun. The unique experience of growing up with a disability commonly involves the loss of control over basic daily decisions," says Rebecca Krook, a play facilitator for children with disabilities. "In addition to their specific symptoms, children with disabilities often face anxiety related to medical procedures and the changing status of their health. Play is an effective antidote for anxiety while fortifying the foundation of a child’s self-confidence."

Researcher and child psychologist Dr. Alicia Lieberman states, “Play gives the child a safe space where she can experiment at will, suspending the rules and constraints of physical and social reality. In play, the child becomes master rather than subject.”