Overview
Many thanks to all who took the time to complete our recent survey! We’re grateful for your thoughtful responses—they’ve given us a clearer picture of what you most want from NIFPlay. Many of you are looking for help bringing more play into your adult lives. This month and future Play Notes will respond directly to this request. Also, with this issue, we’re pausing the “Profile” section while we explore the types of features you’ll find most useful—and as we build the capacity to produce them regularly.
If you know friends, family, or colleagues who could use a little more play in their lives, please forward this newsletter and invite them to join our community. The more playful our world becomes, the better for all of us.
Find past issues of Play Times
Play Note – Rediscovering Play: Why Adults Need It as Much as Kids
Our last Play Note explored how adults can reclaim joy by reconnecting with intrinsically motivated play — activities chosen for their own sake, not for reward or performance. This month, we go a step further and show that research has found play is not only a source of joy — it’s a necessity for adult well-being, along the lines of getting good sleep, nutrition, and movement.
Play News and Updates
In Memoriam: Dr. Jane Goodall
With deep gratitude and sorrow, we honor Dr. Jane Goodall. A scientist, storyteller, and tireless advocate, Dr. Goodall revealed the rich social lives of chimpanzees and forever changed how we understand our kinship with the natural world. As an NIFPlay Board Member, she helped shape Dr. Brown’s awareness of play in animals — guidance that continues to inform and inspire our work today.
Webinar Recordings Now Available
In September, Dr. Stuart Brown and Dr. Jeff Burgdorf — senior affective neuroscience researcher and former graduate student of Dr. Jaak Panksepp — led the webinar, Play = Your Brain at Its Best! Dr. Burgdorf shared groundbreaking insights into how our brains perform at their peak when we’re in a state of play, while Dr. Brown connected these findings to decades of research on the biology of play and human thriving. Tony Christopher joined the discussion, adding perspective on how these discoveries translate into everyday life and learning. Recording on the webinars page of our website.
PlayCore joined us in hosting two dynamic webinars in its Science of Play series:
- July: Play for Life – How Recreation Fuels Health and Happiness featured Dr. Stuart Brown alongside his daughter Lauren Sundstrom, NIFPLay Board Member, and granddaughter Mia Sundstrom, Director of Play Transformation. Together, they shared a powerful three-generation perspective on how play nurtures purpose, wellness, and connection across the lifespan. Tom Norquist joined the session to highlight how playful design strengthens communities. Recording on the webinars page of our website.
- October: Living a Healthier Playful Life brought together Dr. Stuart Brown and Dr. Bowen F. White, physician, author, and internationally recognized speaker, in a lively exploration of how play promotes physical, emotional, and social well-being. Tom Norquist again contributed valuable insights on embedding play into environments that support human health. Recording on the webinars page of our website
Later this year, Dr. White will travel to Cuba for one of his epic humanitarian clown missions—another beautiful example of play in the service of healing.
Join the Global Play Network
NIFP has launched the Global Play Network on LinkedIn — a space for researchers, practitioners, and advocates to share ideas, collaborate, and expand the science and spirit of play worldwide.
Dr. Srini Pillay on Play
Each week, Dr. Srini Pillay, Psychiatrist, brain researcher and author of Tinker Dabble Doodle Try –joins with our own Mia Sundstrom at the @playinstitute, to explore the role of play in our lives. Check out what they shared about the magic and science of play; their growing number of videos are all available in our Instagram profile.
Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health
World Mental Health Day was Oct. 10. With the abundance of information available to parents, advice is often conflicting or impractical. If your child is facing a mental health challenge it can be hard to decide how to help. There is now an evidence-based guide for parents produced by the experts at MQ Mental Health in the UK. It’s packed with tips on how to keep your child, and yourself, happy and healthy. Get the latest version of the guide here.
Also, a Q&A exploring how play supports mental health, creativity, and connection across generations, a collaborative effort between Dr. Brown, Mia, Lauren and Sophia Laurenzi and is available on Substack (Part 2 coming soon).
How to Get Your Kids Off Their Phones
An article in the Atlantic by Lenore Skenazy, and Jonathan Haidt highlighted the results of a Harris Poll of kids 8–12 years old. Given the choice between playing with friends (no agenda, no adults) -OR- being in an organized activity like soccer or ballet -OR- hanging out with friends online, the kids overwhelmingly (3 to 1) said they want to be with friends in the real world, hanging out with no parents hovering, and without screens! So, to get them off their phone, reduce the limits on their being unsupervised with friends.
Other NIFPlay Appearances
In September, Mia Sundstrom presented at the World Expo in Osaka spoke on The Power of Play as a driving force in human flourishing and future city design at Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion. Also in September, Stuart, Lauren, and Mia presented at Outdoor Play Canada’s Breath of Fresh Air Summit in Ottawa.
Current Issues of Play Journals
- American Journal of Play – 2025 Issue 3
- International Journal of Play – 2025 Issue 3
- Int’l Journal of Play Therapy – 2025 Issue 4
- Journal of Play in Adulthood – 2025 Issue 1
- International Journal of Playwork Practice
