In April I wrote about the importance of play and my intention to read Stuart Brown’s Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. This post is a synthesis of what I learned from reading the book, about what play is and why it is so important.

Brown defines play as something that a person anticipates and is done voluntarily, for its own sake. Like “flow,” one often is so absorbed that they lose track of time. Often play includes a sense of curiosity and surprise, discovery of something new, a new perspective, or a new understanding. Play produces a good feeling. It is motivating, so one wants to engage in play again.

The benefits of play are many. A skill can be developed and mastered. A person can feel empowered,  satisfied, focused, optimistic, and a sense of contentment and balance. We learn many social cues and emotional intelligence by engaging in play because we can try things out in a safe way (both physical and cognitive). A sense of trust, belonging, and friendship can result from play. We can create possibilities that have never existed as we imagine new ideas and find what works and what doesn’t. Often by playing, a complex subject can become easier to understand, we can see new patterns, and find unusual ideas. The brain’s frontal cortex develops and the cerebellum grows through play. Play that involves movement nurtures learning and adaptability. Playing with objects supports problem solving. Play gives distance and space from a problem, in order to see something in a new way. Our imaginations allow us to step back and see a situation or problem differently, both from an emotional and a factual standpoint.

“Play sets the stage for cooperative socialization. It nourishes the roots of trust, empathy, caring, and sharing. When we see another human in distress, that distress becomes ours. Games, sports, and free play between kids set the foundation for our understanding of fairness and justice.” – Stuart Brown

“Lifelong play is central to our continued well-being,
adaptation, and social cohesiveness.” – Stuart Brown

The main disadvantage of going without play is that it can produce the same results as going without sleep. Learning, self-control and other executive functions can be affected.

Play can take a number of forms, as long as it fits the definition above. Play could include watching sports, sitcoms, or drama or reading a novel. Hobbies like building, quilting, folding origami, gardening, decorating, and woodworking can be play. Art, writing, and sharing humorous stories are ways of imagining and communicating with others which builds community and connection. Writing can take many forms including poetry and story, both of which enable one to pull a variety of information into a cohesive piece. Collecting can be play, with the thrill of finding the most unique objects or experiences for one’s collection.

“Work” can be play if one finds it fulfilling or if one approaches work as play. One could view work as a game, with other players and a mindset of developing performance-improving-strategies. When approached with curiosity and openness to all ideas, brainstorming at work can be creative and playful, especially if preceded by a playful and/or humorous activity. One can pause during work, to call to mind and envision a playful/pleasureful memory.

“Imagination is perhaps the most powerful human ability.”
-Stuart Brown

So how can one increase play in their life? Brown recommends to taking a “play history” and thinking about what was exciting as a child. Try to capture the feeling it produced. Visualize the experience. Then:

• Expose yourself to play.
• Give yourself permission to be playful, to be a beginner.
• Be active and free yourself of fear.
• Nourish your mode of play, and be with people who nourish it, too.

“In the end the most significant aspect of play is that it allows us to express our joy and connect most deeply with the best in ourselves, and in others.” – Stuart Brown

 

Resources:
Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul, Stuart Brown