Playfulness is a trait we carry with us (it is wired in our brains) that shapes how we engage with the world every day. This Play Note explores the idea of playfulness as a personality trait that can be cultivated, strengthened and lead to greater well-being.

Adolescents often lack awareness of their intrinsic play—activities that bring deep satisfaction and engagement which contributes to the current youth mental health crisis. This month’s Play Note digs into this.

Free Play is vital for children. Without it kids can suffer increased depression and anxiety. Children engage in play freely and joyfully without worrying about the “right way” to do things. It is “childhood’s work” and it can help kids in problem solving, cooperation, self-regulation, and creativity. This month’s Play Note defines and categorizes Free Play for children and addresses its many benefits.

Research consistently confirms the profound benefits of play for adults. In this Play Note we highlight the benefits of adult play for well-being, creativity, and resilience and suggest how to add more play toyour life.

In this Play Note, we will explore what play truly is and how to recognize when someone is genuinely playing.  Future Play Notes will delve deeper into how play manifests in and benefits adults and children differently.

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.