Play is essential to every aspect of a child's healthy development and an amazing teaching vehicle. So why are schools cutting back or eliminating recess and why has unstructured play for kids declined drastically in the last decade? It's time to reverse this disturbing trend. On this week's show, I talk with Darell Hammond, the Founder and CEO of Kaboom.org (http://kaboom.org/), Sarah Stern, Deputy Director of Development for Right to Play's (http://www.righttoplay.com/International/Pages/Home.aspx)Canadian office, and Jill Amery, founder of UrbanMommies.com (http://www.urbanmommies.com)and a recent play ambassador for Right to Play. Kaboom and Right to Play are charitable organizations dedicated to enhancing children's lives through the transformative power of play. Kaboom partners with community organizations and corporate supporters to finance and build playgrounds all across the United States and educate society about the importance of play. Right to Play uses play to offer hope and teach critical life skills to children in developing nations and underserved communities. Listen in to discover just why play is such a powerful tool and learn what these remarkable organizations are doing for children in the United States and around the world. Then head over to the Playdate Planet Blog where I'll be writing about what steps parents can take to return play to their own kids.