I believe play is essential in a child’s development. It is during “play”, when a child interacts with other children. It is when they use their creativity and make friends. But also with play, children are free to express themselves, and make their own rules when it comes down to playing. Personally “play” has helped me become the person, who I am today. With “play”, I was able to express my creativity freely the way I wanted to. And it also helped me to socialize with other people by making friends instead of becoming socially awkward. “I think it's extremely important, depending on the setting whether they are with playing alone or with other children, either way playing alone I feel like it helps them express their imagination, learning who they are and becoming their own person. When it comes to playing with other kids I think it helps them learn how to share and learn how to interact with others.” –Nicole Carroll, Mother of 1 “I think it is actually important for people of all ages to play. Obviously the activities vary greatly depending on one age level/maturity, but everyone needs the opportunity to relax and be creative. In the early childhood setting it is absolutely crucial. I believe this is how children begin to form their likes and dislikes. It is generally where they learn to socialize and interact with other children. More importantly, it is an opportunity for them to express their creativity. I think in our modern world we have become so obsessed with testing and achievement that we have completely forgotten just how important it is to play.” –Karl Smith, English Department Faculty, Plainfield North High School “I think that "play" is very important in the development of a child. The socialization aspect for a