Building language and relationships through play. Play Smart Literacy beliefs every parent has the ability to improve their child’s future. Play Smart focuses on families and young children (birth - age 5) living in Chicago’s underserved communities. We strive to empower adults to ensure that their children enter kindergarten ready to achieve. To do this, PSL increases knowledge about the positive impacts of play and adult-child conversations on early childhood development. Knowledge alone is not enough; Play Smart supports adults in developing skills and forming habits that create positive environments rich with opportunities for talk and play. Through strong, positive adult-child experiences, every child can be emotionally and cognitively prepared to succeed in kindergarten and in life.