At some point in our childhood, whether at home or school, we were issued numerous warnings about playing: "Stop playing around," "Quit playing" or "This is not play time."

The question "Can I go out and play?" can be the start of a battle between children, parents and teachers everywhere. As we move farther away from the playground years and enter the parenting stage, we often forget that play is an important and essential part of life.

Much to the chagrin of my second-grade teacher, play has always had an important role in the development of children. From jumping rope to playing with dolls, play is critical because it lays the foundation for healthy development.

Every play activity emphasizes a different aspect of development. For example, when two children disagree over a call in a baseball game, they are sharpening their abilities to both communicate a point of view as well as learn to negotiate compromise.