Contemporary education policy--which fixates on "the impact agenda" and tailors academic pursuits to narrow utilitarian (read "economic" and "employment") aims--emphasizes measurable results starting as early as kindergarten. Whether the education experience fosters anything approximating a love of learning seems to be beside the point. Performance, not play, is the name of the game--never mind that educators and researchers have long recognized play as an essential component of cognitive and social development from early childhood through adulthood, animating human projects as diverse as artistic creation, business innovation, and scientific discovery. The author believes that educators should take a step back from the obsession with performance (both individual and institutional) and instead cultivate places and practices that permit the free play of curiosity and exploration. They can do this in many ways, including by departing from the syllabus to let class discussions take intellectually stimulating detours or by making time and space for deep reading, quiet reflection, and informal conversations "wherever" active minds are at work.