The author's students interviewed people over 50 years old about play when they were young. Their answers capture the many themes that come up in response to the following two questions: (1) Do you think the play of children today is different from when you were growing up?; and (2) If so, how do you think it has changed? In the past, when both rural and urban children were not in school, they were outside playing with neighborhood children morning, noon, and night. Older children played with younger children and helped them when there were problems. Again and again, the over-50-year-olds pointed to the fact that screen time has replaced outdoor time. Whether it is television, computers, or video games, they felt this is the central free-time activity for children today, whereas it was outdoor play in the past--often in all kinds of weather. With the decline of play, children are faced with endangered physical health and loss of social skills. For teachers who would want to reclaim play for children, some suggestions on how to begin are provided. (Contains 2 footnotes.)