Through their earliest years of play, children develop a substantial body of skills and knowledge. The goal of this book is to bring children's play and curriculum expectations together, so that children are engaged in learning that honours their existing knowledge, and to help build a strong literacy foundation. A perfect blend of theory and instruction, this timely book offers background, research, ideas, and strategies to create an exciting array of possibilities for using children's play as an infinitely rewarding learning resource. It asks and answers fundamental questions about preparing young children for lifelong learning.