This paper stresses the essential role of concrete play experiences in the early childhood curriculum. The paper examines the value of play, shows how to facilitate language arts development through planned play activities, notes that play provides the early sensory experiences that are the foundations for language arts development, points out the importance of exposing children to a great variety of environmental stimuli, and discusses concept development in young children. It emphasizes that varied play experiences are necessary for creating the experiential background that prepares young children to deal with abstractions and with the symbols of reading and writing. (GW)