amatic play increases student performance. This question will be answered by conducting a qualitative study with an empirical approach. This study will provide information for educators, administrators, school districts, churches, community members and parents so that they can assist in the growth and development of children and appreciate the role of play in education.
             A number of theories related to play have been presented by a number of philosophers and psychologists. For instance, Sigmund Freud conceptualized play as a healing process where children can let go of negative feelings which had been caused as a result of painful events (Saracho & Spodek, 1995). Similarly, Hughes (1999) found that as children grow they come to the realization that they need other people to accomplish their dreams and that they cannot operate alone. This leaves them scared and vulnerable and sometimes they end up isolating themselves from their environment. When children play, this fear of and vulnerability has shown signs of declining and diminishing. Children develop positive feelings about themselves and feel confident about their goals.
             Piaget, who is a cognitive theorist, believed that play can help children develop several cognitive and emotional stages and it is a key instrument in the early mental growth of children. Piaget believed that people change and adapt according to the conditions around them and this change and adaptation is the ultimate weapon for personal growth and development. Tsao (2002) writes, "Children who play over and over again with the same object, such as repeatedly pretending to drink from an empty cup, actually are pra
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