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In these politically charged times of early literacy initiatives, position statements, and education reform, talk about play and literacy learning seems rather awkward, if not even a bit silly. As the realities of early literacy education set in, teachers, legislators, and parents grow ever more critical of what young children are doing as developing writers and readers, and how they are doing it. After all, children need to develop phonemic awareness, learn letter names, practice recognizing words, and participate actively in storybook reading to acquire basic literacy concepts. These are intensely instructive activities best led by adults who impart essential literacy knowledge and skills that children must learn. Certainly this is serious business, and the time and energy it demands can overwhelm thoughts of play.

But even as I welcome the more deliberate attention to emerging and beginning literacy instruction, I worry that the important role of play in the process of learning to read and write might be misunderstood, if not overlooked altogether. In this commentary I share my worry and, in attempting to assuage it, discuss some fundamental connections between literacy and play, the mental constructions they support, and how we might strengthen both in everyday literacy teaching and learning in early childhood classrooms.

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