This study demonstrates that the significance of play and games in medieval education was far greater than previously assumed. Both in ecclesiastical educational institutions such as monasteries and cathedral schools, as well as in the courtly context, physical games were considered essential for the healthy physical development of children. Young and adult university attendees were also allowed and recommended to engage in them, albeit always in moderation. Not only physical education but also moral and scientific instruction were linked in various ways to board games, language games, mimetic games, and physical games. Furthermore, according to an Aristotelian demand that found its way into medieval ethics through Thomas Aquinas, recognizing the necessity of play in human life and maintaining a balanced approach to one's own play behavior were seen as characteristics of a well-educated person.