The Power of Play
“The opposite of play is not work—the opposite of play is depression.” -- Brian Sutton-Smith.
Dr. Stuart Brown, a very prominent and wise man from your world, extensively researched play. According to Dr. Brown's National Institute for Play, play is considered the "gateway to vitality. By its nature it is uniquely and intrinsically rewarding. It generates optimism, seeks out novelty, makes perseverance fun, leads to mastery, gives the immune system a bounce, fosters empathy and promotes a sense of belonging and community. Each of these play by-products are indices of personal health, and their shortage predicts impending health problems and personal fragility."
That's a mouthful! And yet it accurately describes the many benefits of being in a playful state of mind.
According to Dr. Brown, many in your world used to believe play in children was a rehearsal for behaviors they'd later engage in as adults. But science is now beginning to show that play is as important to our survival as sleep.
Play deprivation is linked to rigid thinking, depression, compulsive thinking, and even addictive disorders. Most startling is that in Dr. Brown's case studies of homicidal young men, he found a play deficit typically occurred in early life.
Based on his research, Dr. Brown identified eight play personalities: The Joker, the Kinesthete, the Explorer, the Competitor, the Director, the Collector, the Artist/Creator, and the Storyteller. In general, we are a mix of play personality types, but each of these personalities tends to focus on particular play activities.
Play helps us forget about ourselves; to improvise, adapt and imagine. For an activity to be considered play, it has to be built on trust, something done freely and that we naturally want to do, and that gives us a sense of timelessness. Play even lights up the brain -- play encourages more play!
Dr. Stuart Brown, a very prominent and wise man from your world, extensively researched play. According to Dr. Brown's National Institute for Play, play is considered the "gateway to vitality. By its nature it is uniquely and intrinsically rewarding. It generates optimism, seeks out novelty, makes perseverance fun, leads to mastery, gives the immune system a bounce, fosters empathy and promotes a sense of belonging and community. Each of these play by-products are indices of personal health, and their shortage predicts impending health problems and personal fragility."
That's a mouthful! And yet it accurately describes the many benefits of being in a playful state of mind.
According to Dr. Brown, many in your world used to believe play in children was a rehearsal for behaviors they'd later engage in as adults. But science is now beginning to show that play is as important to our survival as sleep.
Play deprivation is linked to rigid thinking, depression, compulsive thinking, and even addictive disorders. Most startling is that in Dr. Brown's case studies of homicidal young men, he found a play deficit typically occurred in early life.
Based on his research, Dr. Brown identified eight play personalities: The Joker, the Kinesthete, the Explorer, the Competitor, the Director, the Collector, the Artist/Creator, and the Storyteller. In general, we are a mix of play personality types, but each of these personalities tends to focus on particular play activities.
Play helps us forget about ourselves; to improvise, adapt and imagine. For an activity to be considered play, it has to be built on trust, something done freely and that we naturally want to do, and that gives us a sense of timelessness. Play even lights up the brain -- play encourages more play!
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