Share this: Kindergarten students play in a classroom in Washington state. Experts and researchers are calling for more play for young children to boost academic and interpersonal skills. Credit: Jackie Mader/The Hechinger Report The Hechinger Report is a national nonprofit newsroom that reports on one topic: education. Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox. What if one of the answers to reducing inequality and addressing mental health concerns among young children is as simple as providing more opportunities to play? A growing body of research and several experts are making the case for play to boost the well-being of young children as the pandemic drags on—even as concerns over lost learning time and the pressure to catch kids up grow stronger.