Play has a tendency to be introduced into recent special school education for mentally retarded children.
Generally it's thought that they feel difficulties to learn ordinary subjects such as mathematics, Japanese, science and so on, therefore play hold a central position in their education. But, on the other side, there are a few schools which recognize that play has a value all its own for their development, and attach importance to it as well as learning and other activities．
Even in those schools, however, the application of play is limited in the children of low developmental ages.
Makarenko A.S., russian educationalist, insists on the necessity of play not only for children but for adults.
Studies in the soviet Union is suggestive as to the problem of play in special school education.