In this article, the author presents the 12 benefits of playing as a reference and guide for teachers in helping young children develop their cognitive skills, motor ability, socio-emotional, and academic development during play time. The following 12 benefits are described: (1) Play Enhances Bodily Gracefulness; (2) Play Promotes Social Skills; (3) Play Sharpens Cognitive and Language Skills; (4) Play Teaches Gender Roles; (5) Play Develops Understanding of Number and Time Concepts; (6) Play Promotes Spatial Understanding; (7) Play Prompts Causality Reasoning; (8) Sociodramatic Play Clarifies the World of Pretend Versus Real; (9) Play Enriches Sensory and Aesthetic Appreciation; (10) Play Extends Attention Span, Persistence, and Sense of Mastery; (11) Children Express Emotions through Play; and (12) Play Deepens a Child?s Sense of Serenity and Joy.