The promise of play: for health, happiness and harmonious communities
In the book Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination and Invigorates the Soul, Stuart Brown M.D. and Christopher Vaughan discuss the importance of play as a biological process. We review below some of the benefits from a health and human development perspective.
Play to grow
Of all the animals, humans are actually the biggest players of all. And play has helped us tremendously in evolutionary terms. “It shapes the brain and makes animals smarter and more adaptable. In higher animals, it fosters empathy and makes possible complex social groups. For us, play lies at the core of creativity and innovation.” Play has been critical to promote survival, not only among humans, but also other animal species. And play builds resilience. Nobody likes to feel that they aren’t good at something. But unless you are willing to let yourself feel like a beginner, you won’t grow. Play shows us that we can get better at things over time and in small increments.
Play to connect
Play is a huge driver of how we feel in life… about ourselves, our partners, our work and the way we see the world. “When we play, we are engaged in the purest expression of our humanity, the truest expression of our individuality. Is it any wonder that often the times we feel most alive, those that make up our best memories, are moments of play?” On the contrary, lack of play can have a very detrimental effect on our health and ability to interact. “The ability to play is critical not only to being happy, but also to sustaining social relationships and being a creative innovative person.” This is particularly true for physical play: “we are alive when we are physically moving.”
Because play arises from the parts of our brain that are not verbal but emotional, play helps us express ourselves in an intuitive way. Play is also at the root of so many creative processes. “It is the basis of all art, games, books, sports, movies, fashion, fun and wonder—in short, the basis of what we think of as civilization.” Art, in turn, promotes community integration and interaction. “Music, dance and painting, so often part of harvest festivals and religious observances, bring people together to ‘sing with one voice.’” Play also supports positive socialization: “[i]t nourishes the roots of trust, empathy, caring and sharing.”
Play to be happy
We associate play with some of our most happy childhood memories. And yet, paradoxically, some of our most intense moments of play might have been ones that were frightening or challenging: riding a bike up a hill, diving into a pool, running in a race or playing a key role in a sports team. This is another key benefit of play: the work that it requires, and the satisfaction of reward. The most precious moments of play – whether we win or not – are when we demonstrate effort and courage. “In the end, the good feelings we are left with […] are far greater than any difficulty we encountered as we played.”
This demonstrates how play is key to a happy life. “We are happy when we can live an expansive life, one in which we are aware that we are actively participating in something greater than ourselves—a part of a loving couple, a friendship, a family, an intellectual, social or spiritual community.” The more we play, the better we play, and the more comfortable we are in trying new games, experiences or generally putting ourselves outside of our comfort zones. And that is the ultimate truth: the purpose of the game is not to win but to help us become the best versions of ourselves.
CPM
