There is a Chinese proverb which tells that a child is like a piece of paper: everyone who touches it leaves a mark, so one should make sure those marks are positive. In this article, the author raises an issue which concerns providing for, recognizing and celebrating creativity in children's play. It involves challenging the set of ideas about education, which have become generally accepted and yet seem to be built upon sand rather than rocks. Rather than considering the child as in need of education, the author emphasises the importance of skills in which young children excel and which are exceptional in the early years, those which involve imagination, invention and creativity.