"Play is central to the well-being, development and learning of the young child. Play is an important medium through which the child interacts with, explores and makes sense of the world around them."

        Siolta. The National Quality Framework 1997 

" Play is important for building social competence and confidence in dealing with peers, a life skill that is essentail for functioning in school as well as in life on the job. "     

  Howes, 1992; Howes & Matheson, 1992;Raver, 2002; Singer & Singer,2005

“The playing adult steps sideward into another reality; the playing child advances to new stages of mastery”  

 Erikson Childhood and Society (1963)

“Play opens up new possibilities in thinking and develops emotional intelligence that makes feelings manageable. It helps a sense of self, and relationships with others deepen”   

 Bruce, Learning Through Play (2001)

Brian Sutton Smith (1997) proposes that children often deal with life’s excitement and tensions, problems and possibilities during play

Vivian Gussin Paley (1990) tells us that children have a need to connect to one another through their play and stories.

“In play, the child is a head taller than himself” Vygotsky, Mind in Society (1976)