Play Times

What is play? For some, it’s a game of tennis. For others, it’s listening to music or camping in the woods. Play is different for everyone because it’s a state of being, something we each uniquely feel and experience. This month’s Play Note explains what true play is and how to recognize it in yourself and others. We document the characteristics of play as identified by some of the leading and pioneering play researchers. The profile section introduces two of the first scientists to study and publish about play, Karl Groos and Johan Huizinga.

This month’s Play Note provides details on some of the many sources indicating that playing and being playful catalyzes creativity. We document the fact that our creativity is greatest when we are children and falls off precipitously as we grow older flattening out at a very low level for most adults. We cite famously creative people as well as many researchers who have closely studied creativity. In addition, the news section of this issue of Play Times reports on a newly published anthology of over 50 essays about play that are freely available from the ipausa.org website.

Play Notes are the top feature of our monthly Play Times newsletters, each Play Note explains some aspect of play that research has discovered. This month’s Play Note, based on years of qualitative research by Dr. Brown, will help you identify the activities that feed your soul so you can make a priority of including them in your life. Play, like a fingerprint, is unique to each of us. Two people can play catch and for one it feels great, for the other it feels stressful. The activities and situations that engage us, that feel internally, personally satisfying are elements of our Play Nature.

This month’s Play Note explains the impact play has on human stress. We can’t eliminate difficult situations from our lives, but, by playing, we can build resilience to minimize the stress we feel from those situations. This issue also covers a new initiative to inform pediatricians and child therapists about a play-based alternative to talk therapy for kids with mental health issues. And, current news from the world of play.

The inaugural issue of Play Times, the newsletter of the National Institute for Play (NIFP), contains a PLAY NOTE on adult playfulness –a summary of research studies assessing the trait of playfulness. This issue also profiles Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of NIFP as well as current news in the world of Play Science.