This introduction to a special issue on play and simulation/gaming examines the distinction often made between children's play and adult gaming. It illustrates the diversity of play activities and the pedagogical uses of gaming, and demonstrates that these two fields of reflection have everything to gain through mutual enrichment. (AEF)

Suggests that adult games and children's games are not different entities but constitute a continuous spectrum, whether they are considered as play or learning. Illustrates how this continuity works with examples of real gaming activity observed during 30 years of teaching and experimentation. Concludes with practical considerations on the use of…