In discussing the myth that technology has no benefit to the world of play, there seems to be little doubt that technology has made the task of assessing children's activity levels and identifying types of behaviors a simpler and more reliable process. There are three major approaches currently used to measure the amount of physical activity during unstructured play opportunities: (1) direct observation by professionals; (2) wearing heart rate monitors; and (3) wearing motion monitors (such as pedometers). These three approaches to physical activity data collection have proven far more reliable than self-report methodologies (surveys, journals, and log entries) with school-aged children. However, each approach has relative benefits and technological concerns and are best used in concert. Physical educators and play educators need to become proactive about the use of hardware/software and encourage the community to support efforts at improving the quality of all play experiences for children. (Contains 1 table.)