Science of Play 2023

The

SCIENCE of Play 2nd Edition

A treatise of articles by Dr. Stuart Brown, National Institute for Play

Building communities through play & recreation™

The

SCIENCE A treatise of articles by Dr. Stuart Brown National Institute for Play

of Play

As a like-minded play advocate, PlayCore is proud to partner

that have read Dr. Brown’s blog, then contacted us to hear

with Dr. Brown on furthering the advancement of play and

“more of the story,” we offer this new treatise, with expanded

helping our world understand the critical importance of

versions of his blog posts, covering everything from why we

participating in play throughout life. Our work together

play to how a lack of play can affect our quality of life.

thus far has touched all of the ways we help communities promote play, in exciting play research, several original play concepts that promote attunement, as well as contributions to our scholarly treatise “Words on Play.”

We are honored to call Dr. Brown our partner and friend, and are amazed at his knowledge, passion for life and play, and his ability to see and interpret play through both scholarly and experiential lenses. Most of all, we are excited at this

For the past year, Dr. Brown has served as our “Scholarly

opportunity to promote a value we share — an immense

Writer in Residence,” contributing to PlayCore’s online blog,

passion for the value of play.

and helping our teams understand more about how play shapes us throughout life. For all of the play advocates

To read Dr. Brown’s blog, and listen to him explain more about play, go to www.playcore.com/drstuartbrown.

(Dr. Brown and granddaughters in his backyard treehouse.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Why Do We Play?

3

2. Attunement: Is There a Moment When Play First Becomes Recognizable?

7

3. Human Play and Animal Play — Why We’re More Similar Than You Might Think

11

4. Neoteny — To Play is Deeply Embedded in our Human Biological Design

15

5. Play and Movement and “Knowing” Through Movement

17

6. Early Play Patterns as a Predictor of Life and Passion

21

7. Play for Seniors — A Health Mandate

23

8. Rough and Tumble Play — Is it Necessary?

27

9. Consequences of a Play Deprived Life

29

10. Enjoying a Fulfilling Life by Retaining Our Ability and Right to Play

33

11. Play and the Brain

37

12. Brain Development: the Science of Play Research

41

13. The Science of Play: How Play Helps Us Develop Resilience

43

14. Play and Nature

47

15. Imaginative and Pretend Play: Observing the Natural Development of Imaginative and Pretend Play in Infancy

49

16. Imaginative and Pretend Play: Imaginative Play is an Important Behavior to Promote Lifelong Creativity

51

17. Tinkering and its Relationship with Problem Solving

53

18. Epigenesis, Play, and its Effect on Our Lives

57

19. Music is Play for Everyone

61

20. “Play Vaccinations”: a Regular Dose of Play has Immeasurable Health Benefits

63

21. Play is a Universal Gift of Nature in Times of Challenge and Stress

67

22. The Science Behind... Dog Parks 23. The Science Behind Intergenerational Play

Building communities through play & recreation™

© 2023 PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

71 75

ABOUT DR. STUART BROWN Trained in general and internal medicine,

of in-depth personal play profiles irrefutably

psychiatry, and clinical research, Dr. Stuart Brown

demonstrating the negative emotional and

enjoyed a playful childhood and the benefit of

multi-sensory consequences associated with

growing up in an era when children lived their

a play-deprived life. In addition, this work also

lives, outside of school time, independently

confirmed that the active presence of ongoing

engaged in play with their peers. As an adult,

play is present in the accomplishments of the

he pioneered studies on the importance of play

very successful. In 1989, upon leaving clinical

through research on homicidal young males,

medicine, he decided to pursue play in even

and felony drunk drivers, finding a startling

greater depth. To gain insights, Dr. Brown turned

common thread in their stories: serious lack

to animal play research. Working with the

of play in childhood. As his career progressed

National Geographic Society and Jane Goodall,

through roles as Asst Professor of Psychiatry at

he became acquainted with the premier animal

Baylor College of Medicine, Fellow in Psychiatric

play experts in the world, observed animal play

Research at Harvard’s McLean Hospital, Chief of

in the wild, and began to understand play as a

Psychiatry at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center,

long-evolved behavior important for the well-

and an Associate Professor at UCSD School of

being and survival of all animals. As a result of his

Medicine in San Diego, CA, Dr. Brown believed

extensive studies, Dr. Brown came to understand

that play could be the key to discovering the

that humans are uniquely designed to enjoy and

full potential that is in everyone, but also that

participate in play throughout life and launched

defining “play” would require more in-depth

the National Institute for Play to promote the

understanding of its essential nature. He was

integral role play has in human development

surprised that much of the play-related research

and overall well-being. He has written and

he reviewed was fragmented and siloed. He also

lectured about play in numerous public and

noted the absence of quantitative confirmation of

scholarly forums, has directed and produced

clinical observations, not to mention a scientific

several documentaries and learning series about

and evidence-based way of understanding, and

play and similar topics for CBS, PBS, and BBC,

suggesting, how to improve play and give us all

presented a Ted Talk on play, and written the

permission to play more.

book Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul.

Over his career, he documented thousands

1

1.

WHY DO WE PLAY? Why do people play? Because nature designed us to play.

Because we are built to enjoy its nature-assured benefits, which are manifold and often subtle in their manifestations.

Because nature built us to enjoy the obvious and subtle benefits of play. (And on close inspection we cannot be fully human and competent without it.)

And because it just happens to be fun!

Think of a world without play, no belly laughter,

excess energy; something separate from work

or joyful smiles and nonsense baby-talk between

that is always difficult to define and pin down,

babies and mothers, no games, from hide and

and not really considered a necessity for adults.

seek to chess, no lighthearted flirtation, no reason

It has not received broad research funding,

to carve out space for playgrounds, no wagging

and has thus been a late arrival now happily

tail puppies who delight everyone — you get the

reinforced and better understood by science.

picture, and then, when you get serious about

If part of a scientific study, it has in the past

it and look closely and systematically at lives

been fragmented into serving or confirming a

deprived of play, the dire consequences of a lack

particular emphasis of the investigator. As such

of play become painfully evident.

it has never before been fully seen or applied as a whole, which now is happening. The synthesis

But there really is more to “getting it” about play

of new and historic information about play, which

than that.

has recently developed, now takes us beyond the previous narrow limitations of how play has

A new science of play has become evident

traditionally been regarded.

from the explosion of information emerging from the social, psychological, behavioral, and

My interests in play have been honed in the

biological sciences. For children and adults, play

following ways. By initially taking a sweeping

strengthens the mind and the body, straightening

look at play pathologies, such as bullying, painful

the path toward social competency, emotional

isolation, adult hardened rigidities and more, I

stability, physical capability, and success.

have been able to see what happens when it is missing in humans. Then, by looking for a broader

Play has traditionally been considered applicable

context in which to place play and playfulness,

primarily to the young for their development

I moved on to systematically observe animals

of later useful skills, or a means of blowing off

3

4

1. WHY DO WE PLAY?

at play. From seeing its forms and purposes in animal life, and connecting these and other play

BENEFITS OF PLAY

discoveries with previous studies and practical experiences with human behavior, and reviewing the play of some 6000 varied individuals, a rich

Trust

play tapestry has unfolded. Along the way, by examining special creative environments, and

Empathy

by linking play practitioners and play theorists, a newly emerging practical very broad cultural synthesis of play, (e.g., for kids, parents, coaches, teachers,

playground

designers,

Optimism

corporate

innovators, etc.) becomes a natural and inevitable

Flexibility

outcome from this lifetime review. As you read through this material, we hope you share the

Attunement

“aha” that comes from seeing play as vital, and strive to make play a priority in your life, and the

Problem solving

lives you touch.

Joy in movement

But Why Play?

Play is instinctive; suppressing the instinct to

Three-dimensional thinking

play is harmful. Playlessness makes children and adults more vulnerable to depression, anxiety,

Perseverance, increased mastery

impulsivity and sedentarism. However, if we are safe, otherwise healthy, and well fed, it bubbles

Emotional regulation and resiliency

up spontaneously in its wide variety and highly individual patterns, from infancy to old age. It is often, sadly, suppressed.

Exploration of the possible — imagination

Parents want the best for their children, of course. But keen parental anxiety over safety and success often leads to overprotectiveness

Openness to receive inspired “aha” moments

and micromanagement. Parental anxiety is at the root of the mainstream pressure on parents to use parental time well for the “best” outcome

Cognitive growth, innovativeness and flexibility

for their children; this coming from loving and well-meaning motives, but often resulting in misdirected emphasis, creating the parents’ or

Belonging — basis of community, cooperation and altruism

caretakers’ need to orchestrate the behavior of the child for performance that they feel is necessary, or was necessary, for them in their life. This is often done without full awareness of

Figure 1

5

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

what that child spontaneously finds naturally gleeful. This can staunch the deep intrinsic motivation that drives the play instinct, grants the many benefits from play, and which otherwise would craft natural play patterns. And so, not understanding its centrality to sparking and achieving wholeness, its readiness to open the brain, body and spirit, its many benefits are missed (see list opposite). This list is not comprehensive, but it frames many direct and, for most of us, unsuspected payoffs from a play-adequate life.

We will elaborate on these elements in the remaining articles, but for starters consider the benefits TRUST and ATTUNEMENT. This begins early. The bonding between mother and infant combines parental love, and what emerges is the mutual joy from being nurtured and nurturing. This is hard-wired into the nervous systems of both, and the baby-talk and smiles that are exchanged are embedded in play-promoted trust that nature has established. In late adulthood, for example, seeing an old friend you have not seen for some time, who has been deeply trusted, evokes a surge of happiness from the encounter, showing that this benefit of play (you and the friend often played together) continues throughout your lifetime, waiting to be experienced again and again. The benefits of play are not short-lived, and there are many benefits and dividends of play.

Our heritage as humans is to play.

We are built to play, and built by play.

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2.

ATTUNEMENT: IS THERE A BEGINNING MOMENT WHEN PLAY IS RECOGNIZABLE? Play actually begins to have an effect on a child even before birth, at least indirectly.

Unlike most mammals, humans spend three-

Neural circuits are already taking shape, circuits

quarters of a year in the womb, emerging at birth

that will set brain patterns for the rest of our

as a virtually helpless “fetal” being. Yet even then,

lives. An expectant mother’s play can lower her

though totally dependent for survival on basic

stress levels and help lessen the discomforts of

care, if seasoned newborn nursery nurses who

pregnancy, but it is likely that her own playfulness

have closely watched infants for years are correct,

can also help preform the mindset of the baby

the precursors of play can, in many just born

inside her. The effects of the prenatal environment

infants, show the vestiges of play. Those neonates

can even be multi-generational as have been the

who have had particularly difficult deliveries

findings related to the starvation and stress from

or are premature may not, in their first weeks of

the Nazi occupation of Holland, now referred to

life reveal their emergent play natures. But for

as the Dutch winter of 1944. Researchers have

some, whether it is their gustatory enthusiasm,

also shown that fetal movements—the kicking,

clear calming pleasure at being held closely,

punching, or writhing—can also be thought of

or hazy gaze at their mother’s breast, selective

as an expression of an intrinsic instinctive play

preferable pleasures can be observed by their

behavior. These seemingly random motions are

natural responses- producing selectively calm

generated by the central nervous system as a

(perhaps happy?) demeanor from a variety of

way of making working connections between

stimuli. The point of this is to realize that our play

the limbs and the brain. Once the baby is born,

natures are “there” at the beginning, and remain

these seemingly random play behaviors will help

so throughout life, if we just look closely for their

the infant to begin to explore the world. They are

presences, or in our own lives “feel “ the intrinsic

important fuel that helps self-organization.

pleasures that play brings. These play natures are

But the clear emergence of the grounding base of

unique preferable patterns embedded by nature

play is obvious by three or four months of age, if a

in all of us.

child is well fed and safe, and a mother’s emotional

It is likely that these precursors of play are taking

state is one of openness and calm. For then, when

shape in the womb. During gestation, the embryo

parent and child make eye contact this experience

and developing fetus are subject to strong

initiates a harmonic meeting of the minds. As they

prenatal influences from the nutrition available

gaze into each other’s eyes, the baby will radiate

via the placenta to the stress levels of the mother

an involuntary but compelling smile and the

also transmitted to the rapidly growing fetus.

mother will automatically respond with a surge

7

8

2. ATTUNEMENT

of emotion and verbal and bodily joyfulness—and smile back. And the baby usually will make little sounds, a babble, or light gurgling laughter, and the mother will respond in a rhythmic singsong voicethe universal nonsense language of baby-talk. This is a phenomenon seen (if not culturally suppressed) across all cultures around the globe.

What’s going on in the brain is even more amazing. As they lock eyes, both the joyful and babytalking mother and the radiant-smiling infant are synchronizing the neural activity in the right cortex of each of their brains. If we wired mom and baby and took a multiple lead research-programmed electroencephalogram (EEG), the clear result is that their brain currents, their rhythmic brain waves, are

“

This is called “attunement.” Their brain rhythms are getting in tune, performing a kind of mind-union that is a very pure form of intimacy.

”

actually in sync.

This is called “attunement.” Their brain rhythms are getting in tune, performing a kind of mind-union that is a very pure form of intimacy. And its emotional harmonic is — mutual joy. (PLAY!) Fathers, as do all of us making facial and eye contact with a newly smiling infant, have a similar response as will the baby. It is pure play. This experience is the most basic state of play, and it becomes a foundation for the much more complex states of play that we engage in throughout life.

Allan Schore, a UCLA researcher who has been a pioneer in integrating social, biological, and psychoanalytical theory, has discovered that attunement is critical and forms the foundations for later emotional self-regulation. Abused, neglected, or severely disabled children who never adequately experience this early, joyful, mutually trusting social experience end up being emotionally brittle and behave erratically. The implications of Schore’s research and its correlation with other related longterm research on human development are just now receiving the attention they deserve. For example, the child who does not experience attunement because of deprivation or abuse has later difficulty forming healthy attachments. This, of course has implications for later adult capacities, such as feeling a sense of “belonging,” and even has implications for competent stress management. Severe lack

9

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

of this most human of our parent-child unions, likely affects the efficient working of the emotional regulatory tasks that are generally believed to reside in the right (nondominant) prefrontal cortex.

The right and left prefrontal cortices lie in front of the motor centers, and are active in integrating cognitive and executive decision-making. The right side develops more rapidly than the left, is more vulnerable to early deprivational damage, and is essential for a balanced life. Schore has written convincingly, that good right cortex development is central to balancing optimum later emotional regulatory activities, risktaking decisions, and social judgments.

If we assume that the neurophysiological models of animal play apply to us, then attunement (the base state of play) buffers the growing infant and child against excessive surges of emotion. It also helps orchestrate the symphony of genetic signals that govern optimal brain development during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. Though this all may seem to be heavy science, I believe it is important for all of us, parents, grandparents and policy-makers to understand the integration of play into our lives, even at its beginning.

Tom Norquist, a Board member of the National Institute for

had not seen for 60, yes 60 years. Though we had intermittent

Play, and PlayCore play innovator, upon learning of the power

contacts by mail, e-mail or phone conversations over the

of attunement, designed and patented The Expression

years, we had not actually been in each other’s presence

Swing . It amplifies the essential playful attunement by its

since graduation. Tom L. is a mid-westerner who was visiting

design, which has the child and the adult, while playfully

his California-based son in a city about 50 miles from my

swinging, having direct face-to-face and eye contact while

home, and we agreed to meet over lunch. We happened

stimulating motion induced positive brain activation in a

upon one-another in the restaurant parking lot, and I really

climate of safe playfulness. Its appeal went viral on social

don’t remember making pupil-to-pupil eye contact with

media and is still escalating. This is proof of the power and

him, but we each later confided that our reunion produced

contagion of our play natures getting a natural boost from a

a huge eruption of surprising mutual joyfulness, that remains

union of play science and careful design.

emotionally significant to this day. Attunement old guy

®

style, but hard-wired. We had had a deep friendship whose The joyfulness of play stays with us. A few weeks ago, I had

rekindling activated our play natures.

the experience of seeing a once-close college friend who I

Attunement works for all, whether with an infant, or one with whom a safe friendship exists.

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3.

HUMAN PLAY AND ANIMAL PLAY — WHY WE’RE MORE SIMILAR THAN YOU THINK Have you ever wondered why a yarn-ball romp with your kitty, or tug of war with your dog is so contagious and fun or why it makes you feel so good?

I have had the fun of studying both animal and human play, and find that a deep understanding of the act of play itself is greatly enriched by a better knowledge of animal play and playfulness.

Yes, the more we study animal and our human

the necessity and benefits of play itself become

play, the more frequently we discover there is

more evident. Here, for example, is a basic aspect

no real gap between us. We share playfulness.

of play, learned from laboratory-controlled

We like to chase, rough and tumble, climb, play

research on animal play.

games, collect treasures — and so do many playful

Play, it has been discovered by animal play

animals. And if we look closely, that continuity is

researchers, is hard-wired into the survival

obvious. Even art, culture, language, or tool use do

centers of the playful mammal brain. If an infant

not separate us from them. Yes, our rich language,

rat ( a very playful social mammal) has its cerebral

fertile imagination, novel-writing, and symphony

cortex ( the “higher” center) of its brain removed

creation (and much more) are our marvelous

surgically at birth, it survives, heals, and could

heritage as humans, and on close examination

be expected to be a very limited rat without its

flow from playful freedoms. But common patterns

cerebrum as it develops. Surprisingly, at age 4

exist, and emotionally we find an uplifting union

weeks, age appropriately, it makes squeaks that

of play spirits when we observe or participate in

other rats can hear, which are specific “I want to

animal play.

play” signals, and begins to play vigorously, as

Both animals and humans start out life, if safe and

if it possessed a normal fully endowed brain.

well fed, with the world as our playground. And

In fact, graduate students watching groups of

as “adult” human demands increase, we often

decorticated and normal rats playing together

lose sight of how much of the world is enhanced

cannot identify the ones who are post-surgical.

by keeping much of it as a playground instead of

Both groups are full-on rough and tumble rat

a proving ground or battleground. By seeing and

players. This shows from animal play-based

enjoying animal play, and by knowing of some

research that the brain circuits that initiate and

of the scientific objective findings from research

sustain vigorous early play are anatomically

on animal play, a much deeper understanding of

located in sub cortical (survival areas) of the brain.

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12

3. HUMAN PLAY AND ANIMAL PLAY

So the urge to play is not a strictly learned behavior, flowing from “higher centers” but rather reflects a deep instinctive fundamental need, and our human subcortical brain is virtually identical with other playful mammals, even rats. Our play comes from deep centers, and nourishes higher centers as part of our essential biological design. Animal play studies have allowed this insight and many others that support the rat findings, to make “play science” a new and necessary discipline. As such, it allows a new landscape of science to better understand in how many ways play behavior enriches us humans, and can be shown to be absolutely necessary for animal development and well-being. Sure, both rats and humans need a full cerebral cortex to socialize and adapt to the complexities of adult rat or human living, but play and playfulness need to be honored not only in developmental infant and childhood eras, but for us humans throughout all of our life cycle. For us, the studies of animal play and its lack show that it is a necessity for not only animals, but also for us, to our overall well-being.

“

The roots of human behavior must be sought in changes over evolutionary time in comparison with other animals. It is unrealistic to think we can truly understand human play without understanding the play of dogs, monkeys, and turtles.

Gordon Burghardt, The Genesis of Play: Testing the Limits

” If you are curious about some of the themes about play we can garner from watching animals at play, or specific descriptions in depth of animals at play, Robert Fagan’s 1981 Animal Play Behavior , Oxford University Press, is a fantastic resource, as is Gordon Burghardt’s The Genesis of Animal Play, Testing the Limits, ISBN 10: 0262524694 / ISBN 13: 9780262524698.

13

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

Through our ongoing studies of play, many concrete facts have emerged about the act of play: • It is voluntary, people want to play and do it of their own accord.

• It appears purposeless – but really isn’t. While time at play doesn’t appear to fulfill any immediate life need (like eating or defending territory) it bestows many benefits long term.

• It can be interrupted (is not compulsively driven).

• It is fun, pleasurable, and makes the player want to continue it.

• It is engaging, and takes the player out of the sense of time.

• It really is a separate “state of being,” and most of us recognize when an animal is full of play, or when we ourselves are experiencing it.

• It does not occur if the player is fearful, sick, or otherwise threatened.

• All animals that play engage in body play. Movement alone can be joyous.

If you’re fortunate enough to be able to watch young chimps at play, you will notice much of their spontaneous play is bodily and solo. If the moving player adds a jump upward, with a wiggle while airborne, all the better. (If you are having a bad day, try cavorting, jump upward, wiggle in the air, and the “play state” it induces will have you feeling better.) Young children, unburdened by adult responsibilities play similarly. People and animals also share similar play types: Object Play — We enjoy messing with “things.” From blocks and Play-Doh, to digging and gardening, object play feels good. The animals and playful birds toss objects using paws, beaks, and mouths and mess with playthings. Object play has been shown to enhance new brain connections in animal play research.

Social Play — Virtually all social players romp and engage in rough and tumble play as a warm up for other socially more complex species-specific play formats. Chase and escape, or chase me and I will chase you back is a common form of social play among a wide variety of social players. Even birds and monkeys in the wild, for example, exchange chase scenarios. What can be remarkable about cross-species animal social play, is the agreement via exchanges of play signals, that a predator-prey dangerous situation can become a playground if the play signals are exchanged and agreed upon.

(Cheetah-gazelle, polar bear-sled dog, etc.) The implications of this phenomenon seen in nature has possibilities for the damping down of hostile aggression in human situations when mollified by mutual exchange of play signals.

So next time you’re engaged in play, you may be surprised to find that your behavior is very similar to that of animals!

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4.

NEOTENY — TO PLAY IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN OUR HUMAN BIOLOGICAL DESIGN There are a variety of reasons why it is important to clearly foster improved health and more balanced living by recognizing the human capacity for and need to play throughout our lifetimes.

“Design thinking” is a buzz phrase that permeates

just how we humans, or scientifically classified

much of highly innovative corporations and even

homosapien species, arrived at our current state

educational institutions like Stanford University,

of design, one term, neoteny, explains much about

where I enjoy teaching. But rarely do “design

what, over long time periods, our biological design

thinkers” apply their outreach to the essential

has become. Our heritage prior to agriculture

design of their bodies or, psychologically,

and city living is as hunter-gatherers, and the

themselves. Yet when we look closely at the long

biological carry over from this lengthy heritage

history of our species, and listen to the paleo-

leaves us with the body that is our current physical

anthropologists as they provide evidence of

and psychological home.

15

Upon looking closely, this design is evident

contrast, grow old with floppy ears, a short muzzle,

anywhere humans live throughout this remarkable

but more to the point of this story, live to play and

world. So, neoteny is the essence of our design.

retrieve until they drop dead of old age. They are

When we live in accord with this design, we

neotenous canines, and they exemplify in canine

get along better with ourselves and our fellow

profiles the differences between a neotenous and

humans. When we do not, we pay a price in

non-neotenous species.

physical and emotional health that our obesity,

Now let’s look at the primate rather than the

depressive epidemics, and even our conflict

dog-wolf species. The great apes and humans

dysfunctions reveal.

are both primates. A chimpanzee has more than

So what is Neoteny?

95% of the same genes as humans. Looking more deeply at the behavior and the nervous systems

Basically, it is the biological design in the genes

of the adult chimpanzee vs. the human, we note

for staying “young” despite still getting old. And

much more fixed behavior in the chimps than in

one of the hallmarks of this immaturity being

the very broad repertoire of behaviors available

retained despite becoming old, is our design for

to the human. The chimp male fights for alpha

lifelong PLAY. To bring this concept home, let’s

status, and there is a pecking order to chimpanzee

look at neoteny as it exists in another familiar

social life that influences female chimp behavior

species. Most of us are on good terms with

also. Though the males dominate the female

various breeds of dogs, recognizing differences

chimps, nonetheless the female chimps also

between a Cocker Spaniel and a Greyhound. And

have a pecking order among the females, that

good science and genetics tells us that domestic

Jane Goodall in her years of observation in the

dogs and their incredible variety of breeds all

wilds of Gombe Stream in Africa documented.

evolved from wolves. Some of the fundamental

Though humans have great variety in their cultural

differences between a mature wolf, for example,

habits, all of us have a very long childhood for play

and a mature Labrador or Golden Retriever may

and learning, and the continued capacity to play

help us understand neoteny better. Wolf puppies

from birth until our demise in old age. And as a

and Lab and Golden puppies are almost identical

by-product of this neotenous design as humans,

in their behavior. They play constantly, and retrieve

we are more adaptable, curious, and are able to

compulsively.

explore the many options in our lives that become possible as outgrowths of this design.

However, as the wolf matures, it loses its puppy ways, and no longer retrieves. It acquires nature-

Being true to our long-acquired neotenous design,

fixed assigned roles within the pack, undergoes

and not suppressing it is like getting good nutrition

bodily changes, which we know as adult wolf

or a good nights’ sleep. Assuring adequate play,

characteristics. The adult wolf has a long nose,

whether child or adult (and the patterns and

upright ears, and the wolf pack social structure

amounts certainly differ) is a fundamental public

allows only the alpha of the pack to reproduce;

health necessity. Each of us can assess whether

thus this adult wolf behavior is more fixed and

we or our children are achieving this balance,

hierarchical and very different than the behavioral

which nature has, through much trial and error,

qualities of the adult Lab or Golden. They, in

provided as our optimal, neotenous design.

Spending time in playfulness keeps the balance for well-being alive and vital.

16

5.

PLAY AND MOVEMENT, AND “KNOWING” THROUGH MOVEMENT We really are embodied minds. And, of course what the good playground does is to design, build, and invite people to settings that foster play. And play involves movement.

One of the outstanding Advisors to the National

elements of play we are examining, even word or

Institute for Play is movement pioneer, Dr. Maxine

image movement in imaginative play. If you don’t

Sheets-Johnstone. Her groundbreaking book

understand and appreciate human movement,

(among others) now being re-issued, The Primacy

you won’t really feel this foundational continuing

of Movement, describes in elegant detail how all

need for movement for your child. And by

of us gain basic knowledge of our bodies and our

implication, the need for movement also includes

environments through movement.

your adult self, as the need to play throughout one’s lifetime is a persistent public health need.

Even prenatally, as any young mother will attest,

Play and movement are fundamental.

there is plenty of movement in the womb. Once they are born, every infant demonstrates the

Learning

urge to squirm and wave arms, and as soon

structure for an individual’s knowledge of the

as they can get up on their hands and knees

world—it is a way of knowing. Through movement

at three to nine months they learn to rock and

play, we think in motion. Movement structures

then crawl. They stick things in their mouths

our knowledge of the world, space, time, and

and gnaw with their gums. They roll food around

our relationship to others. We’ve internalized

with their tongues, sucking it in and spitting it

movement, space, and time so completely

out, enjoying the process immensely. All of this

that we need to take a step back (a movement

is movement inspired.

metaphor) to realize how much we think in these

about

self-movement

creates

a

terms. Our knowledge of the physical world,

Later, with spoon in hand, they may catapult

based in movement explains why we describe

or fling a glob of food across the room. These

emotions with terms like close, distant, open,

are not random movements—they are intrinsic

closed. We say we “grasp” ideas, or “wrestle” with

behaviors that promote exploration and learning.

them, or “stumble” upon them.

Babbling becomes intelligible words. Babies who are born hearing-impaired will actually

Movement play lights up the brain and fosters

use play movements to learn to communicate

learning,

physically, first babbling with simple symmetric

and resilience. Knowledge of these grounding

movements, which slowly become simple sign

aspects of life will help direct parents and care-

language when an adult signs back consistently.

takers to apply what nature has provided for us as we play.

Movement is primal and accompanies all the

17

innovation,

flexibility,

adaptability,

18

5. PLAY AND MOVEMENT

Human nature requires movement to be fully realized.

“

This is why, when either a child or adult is having a hard time getting into a play state, I have them do something that involves movement: because

Movement fills an empty heart.

body play is universal. As Bear Play Researcher Bob Fagen says, “Movement fills an empty heart.”

The play-driven pleasures associated with

Bob Fagen, Bear Play Researcher

exploratory body movements, rhythmic early speech (moving vocal cords), locomotor and rotational activity are done for their own sake;

”

they are pleasurable and intrinsically playful, yet they also help sculpt the brain.

John Byers’ study of antelopes and other animals revealed that the periods of greatest play were

Why do play activities seem to go hand in hand

also the time of most rapid growth of the area

with brain development? What difference does

of the brain known as the cerebellum. If the

play make? The truth is that play seems to be

antelope’s activity is inhibited during this period,

one of the most advanced methods nature has

the growth of nerve cells in the cerebellum is

invented to allow a complex brain to create itself.

greatly reduced.

Why do I say this? Consider the fact that there is no exact blueprint for creating the brain. The information encoded in our DNA is far too sparse to determine exactly how all the neurons should connect up with each other. Instead, the brain wires itself up. It does this by creating far too many neurons, which in turn make far too many connections with other neurons throughout the brain. Following rules of interaction laid down in the DNA, the neurons send signals through the circuits, strengthening those that work and weakening or eliminating those that don’t. This process continues throughout life, and is a kind of neural evolution. After birth, most neurons are already in place, but they continue to make new connections. The fittest connections, the ones that work best, are the ones that survive. It’s survival of the fittest.

19

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

Play, which is more prevalent during the periods of most rapid brain development after birth (childhood), seems to continue the process of neural evolution, taking it even one step farther. Play also promotes the creation of new connections that didn’t exist before, new connections between neurons and between disparate brain centers. It is activated from and organizes what I call “divinely superfluous neurons.” These are neural connections that don’t seem to have an immediate function but when fired up by play are, in fact, essential to continued brain organization.

In playing, we foster the creation of those new circuits and test them by running signals through them.

Because play is a “nonessential” activity, this testing is done safely when survival is not at stake. Play seems to be a driving force helping to sculpt how the brain continues to grow and develop.

Play continually wires our brains, training us to think in motion, increases cerebral capacity, and most importantly keeps life FUN!

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6.

EARLY PLAY PATTERNS AS A PREDICTOR OF LIFE AND PASSION Let’s concentrate on the importance for all of us, regardless of age or life circumstances to be aware of our innate play nature, and allow it to keep blossoming from birth to our demise.

Our emphasis here will be from newborn to 9 months, with a projection of how this innate play nature might positively influence later life choices. It’s important to understand how play patterns emerge early, and their hallmark is spontaneous glee.

I was privileged with the auspices of the US Navy,

later maturation determining most individual

to engage in family practice for a few years, and

quirks. With the tradition then of keeping the

in that role, had the opportunity to have a very

babies for 4 or 5 days in the nursery, time for

busy pediatric practice as well as the privilege of

observation, not now the norm, was extended.

obstetrics responsibilities that meant delivering a

With their keenness of perception and love of

few babies per month. As an ancillary part of this

these infants, the nurses had noticed individual

latter responsibility, I followed many newborns

quirks that they felt were predictive of these

into the large newborn nursery at the San Diego

newborns’ intrinsic temperament or personality

Naval

newborn

that would likely endure beyond the neonatal

nursery nurses were stationed. Observations I

Hospital,

where

seasoned

stage, and like good observers, they chatted with

made over the years, with my then untrained

me about what their little charges might become.

eyes, were that these newborn infants initially

Sure, some of the more premature or those who

seemed to be pooping, sleeping, crying, and

had endured a long and difficult labor were less

occasionally alert little beings who certainly

transparent and did not indicate obvious signs

lacked much individual “personality,” with their

of individual quirks, or give many signals about who they later might become. But what lasted for me from these nurses’ observations is that innate patterns of engagement are there very early if we just observe them closely. Some of these newborns responded more to light and object movement despite their immature inability to focus clearly. Others responded more to touch and bodily movement. A few were more

21

engaged by sounds such as the soft music that was background noise in this particular nursery.

All seemed to enjoy oral stimulation. So for me, these observations, though fascinating, were tucked away for years, until I began to research and observe emergent play patterns and frame the nature of play preferences as they revealed themselves individually over time. But this newborn nursery information from early in my medical career fits the emergent biologically innate patterns of play as they occur, and offer parents and the rest of us very useful and

Now, segue imaginatively as this little infant

practical information that leads toward a more

grows to age 19. His parents, noting his glee as

fulfilling future life, full of more fun.

he manipulates objects, have provided him, as

Let’s follow a life from newborn onward, looking

he develops, with many opportunities to make

at engagement, gleefulness, and other aspects

things on his own - choices, not imposing their

of personality that are indicative of unique

preferences, but being sensitive to his. In so

individual preferences and patterns, and focus

doing, they have amplified his innate talents.

on specifics that are common to various stages

He has found perseverance and joyfulness and

of development. So, let’s imagine a little boy,

increasing skill and mastery, all fun for him in his

who as a newborn seemed to respond more

inborn preferences for object playfulness. And

innately to objects and touching them, than

through their awareness, from newborn onward

say, visual stimuli. He is now 9 months old, and

he has been allowed to use his innate object

is surrounded by his smiling mom and a few

preference and unique individual play personality

highly colored toys.

If by now he was more

to become part of his growing foundation on

naturally attuned to social playfulness, he

his individual road to becoming a skilled, (and

would have had more spontaneous glee as he

more authentic) self. Now at 19, he has career

returned his mother’s smile, than from grabbing

and college choices, and it is clear to him that

and cavorting with a small but highly colored

engineering — making things, solving problems

play car. But he is GLEEFUL as he touches the

— is his love. By encouraging his emergent,

car. Thus, his preference and innately playful

naturally occurring play personality, his parents

response is to objects: toys, blocks, etc. He still

have allowed him to hone his natural talents and

enjoys his mother’s smile, but more intense glee

combine them with the joyfulness that being in

is spontaneously evoked from the play objects.

tune with his play personality allows.

The early awareness by parents of their infant or child’s play personality allows motivation and engagement in joyful living to be a natural part of growing up.

22

7.

PLAY FOR SENIORS ­— A HEALTH MANDATE Rediscover your playfulness if you have lost it.

There is an increasing prevalence of depression

sustained by others. Beginning with early infant-

in virtually all age groups, however the highest

mother mutually experienced joyful attunement

incidence of depression and suicide is seen in

(previously discussed) to a shared joke in a

older age groups. No one, clear, causal process

hospice setting, play is a source of enlivenment,

is evident. The focus of this article is on senior

it fuels life forces, even when circumstances are

depression, or more to the point, senior lack of

extremely challenging. And yes, we are hard

play as a major contributing factor in the genesis

wired to enjoy and need it forever.

and perpetuation of depression.

So missing out on play at any age is an important

It may seem strange to start an article focusing

risk factor for health and survival, play is a

on depression and potential suicide. I do so,

universal aspect of human nature meant to be

because the powerful mood-altering effect of

honored throughout life. Therefore, accessing

authentic play can act as “immunization” against

play experiences, particularly for depressed or

seemingly unending despair and, in particular

lonely seniors requires awareness and prioritizing

late adult or senior depression.

the many faces of play and finding ways to keep enjoying them is really a health necessity!

The data on suicide and its increasing prevalence is solid, with a 25-35% recent increase in Western

Make sure play is in the mix.

nations. Most vulnerable are those individuals over 65. My emphasis here is to focus on senior adult vulnerabilities to loneliness, the pervasive

PlayCore, and its many avenues to assure healthy inclusive play is primed to provide seniors better access to play stimulating settings, playgrounds

lack of community, and associated depression

and play curricula that offer access to becoming

with its worst manifestation being suicide, and

playful again through multi-age and multi-

to demonstrate that multiple resources exist to ameliorate vulnerability. Play is certainly a major part of everyone’s human nature, and within each

community access to more play experiences.

As the awareness of the lifetime public health necessity of play becomes a cultural norm (it

of us resides an active or dormant play nature,

now has scientific backing) it is important to offer

able and waiting to be more fully activated!

local leaders practical avenues to alleviate the

In previous articles, the biological design of

common complaint of loneliness and depression

our human species to play throughout each

among many seniors.

lifetime was addressed. Yes, we are designed

Let’s review the natural history that we all share,

to play, and designed by play throughout all of our lives. And yes, we are fundamentally a social species. Even if introverted, we need and are

and why keeping play as a lifelong necessity is significant. Play no longer can be seen as trivial, for kids only, or what one does after all the

23

24

6. PLAY FOR SENIORS

responsible tasks of life have been completed.

loneliness or its inevitable partner, depression.

And if a spouse or best friend has recently

Yes, even if living alone, we all are members of a

passed away, the risk factors are not much

very social species. Our basic biological design

different than high blood sugar, or when off-the-

(see previous neoteny article) and long heritage

charts cholesterol levels are present. The United

as hunter-gatherers required our continued

Kingdom, with its capacity for nationwide health

meaningful participation in small, nomadic

assays, has identified loneliness as a sufficiently

communities, with mutual sharing being a

serious health problem with increased health

fundamental quality of life. At our social and

care costs to have appointed a “Minister of

physiologic baseline, this is at the core of who we

Loneliness.”

are. So when a lack of meaningful participation

“

Getting the older generation to understand and feel this enlightened play ethic in their bones is necessary, and a shared responsibility of those of us steeped in play science to keep alive!

” in community exists, as is particularly common

Getting the older generation to understand and

in US urban life, this lack evokes inevitable

feel this enlightened play ethic in their bones is

emotions of sadness, loss, and a need (usually

necessary, and a shared responsibility of those of

unconsciously surrounding us, but deeply felt)

us steeped in play science to keep alive!

for regular trusting contact with fellow humans, ideally of all ages. Now, add to this the general separation geographically and culturally from support and emotional verve present for millions

I am a physician, and early in my medical life as

of years of our deep biologic heritage is missing. at

one’s

Christmas,

children

and

Easter,

birthdays,

for a play-deprived senior, their essential play nature?

primary family members, and this aspect of

Visiting

So what are some practical ways of rediscovering,

a family practitioner, I certainly was involved in

grandchildren

many major untreated or chronic health issues

marriages,

for the aged, particularly in nursing homes that

or funerals, important as they are, does not

did not provide any access to play which was

produce sufficient emotional nutrition to stave off

generally a very sad institutional norm then.

25

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

In later years, as play science became a focus

find out what they have once enjoyed but now

of mine, I have seen, even in selected hospice

is not present, and use your ingenuity to bring

settings, or in a dementia unit, where including

it back in narrative, family pictures, etc. If the

play activities was established policy, major

name of a long-passed dog sparks a smile, get

transformations occur. When the staff had

someone’s puppy to accompany a visit. The good

discovered past fragments of play in the lives of their charges, they crafted treatment plans that duplicated some of the earlier play settings.

Whether putting a golf ball, or singing an old “three blind mice” round, if it tickled a past play memory, it really generated and rekindled the spirits. In research settings in New South Wales, Australia, such inclusion of play and clowning with the staff has been demonstrated to lessen the need for medications, and along with it, staff morale has been radically improved. (Arts Health Study) .

So, let’s seek out the vulnerable, and add to Rx for non-demented, but identified and depressed and lonely seniors the many patterns of play that virtually every one of them once fully embraced.

What did they love and enjoy spontaneously as kids?? Pets? Toys? Favorite song? (try happy birthday) Vacation sites? Name of best friend?

Favorite aunt or uncle? You get the idea. A little searching and, bingo, one can usually find an unexpected spontaneous smile. Along with that, the hard-wired joyfulness that is an inherent, human play-based trait gets triggered. It is not an impossible task. If you are a caretaker or family member facing compassion exhaustion and are responsible for a senior who has lost life’s luster,

news is that there is a way to combat loneliness and sadness in older people, and the answer is one that we have given many times – we must find a way to bring, and keep, play in our daily lives.

The good news is that there is a way to combat loneliness and sadness in older people, and the answer is one that we have given many times – we must find a way to bring, and keep, play in our daily lives.

26

8.

ROUGH AND TUMBLE PLAY — IS IT NECESSARY? It used to be that self-organized play was all kids did. Most adults over the age of 45 will likely have memories of exploring on their own, through puddles and fields or on city streets, told only to be home before dinner or before dark.

The pickup games of my own youth were typical

the great plays, the incredibly lucky plays. We

of those that spontaneously cropped up back

had our own verbal highlights reels, letting kids

then in vacant lots and parks across the country.

shine for a few moments in the spotlight for their

They were anarchic, and didn’t always end well,

abilities. We also let the screw-ups know in clear

but they had their own style and etiquette, were

language their deficiencies.

full of interruptions, reversals, flexibility, and

I can attest that these child-organized, child-

rule changes. Despite the seeming anarchy,

dominated experiences have had major effects

these games existed within an overall, agreed-

on not only my own capacities and perceptions

upon sense of structure and fairness. They were

as an adult, and how I grew to see myself, but did

undertaken with an accepted, minimal risk of

so also for all the other boys who were involved in

damage, and had safeguards. Although there

this game. Dougie Weaver was a star, and became

was considerable mayhem and noise during the course of these games, I remember that they were exciting, and there wasn’t naked aggression.

a big ten half back, and later a major coach. The other star, Linnie Keith faded athletically as he started high school, but his academic interests,

These games certainly let me know who I was:

and tinkering nature led him into dentistry. Jimmy

Autumn-football season tackle in the Gunn’s

Lacey, unathletic and overweight was assigned

vacant lot was my training ground. It was there

referee status. He became a lawyer. Looking

I realized I was feisty, vulnerable, fairly fast and

back now, with the retrospective eyes of a trained

a shifty runner, but not as gutsy a tackler or as

psychiatrist, these play-inspired portraits of

courageous a blocker as my older brother. I

others and myself feel more real, persistent and

needed his protection and that of his friends to

predictive of life to come than any other molding

take on the challenge of the games, and they

experience. Certainly, parents and mentors are

freely offered it. It was terribly important to get

pivotal, but the self that emerges through play

in the game, and belong. I remember feeling

is the core authentic self. My systematic studies

fierce. But it was OK to cry if you got hurt. Not

of the play deprived and the research of others

OK to cheat or whine. Not OK to make fun of one

confirm that these kid-organized games and

of your own team members, but OK to ridicule

other rough and tumble play experiences have

someone on the other team. If team members

significant positive long-term outcomes.

changed in the middle of the game, OK to try and

Alas, these kinds of activities are becoming

verbally humiliate the former teammate then.

rarer. Most suburban kids now are ferried from

After these games we discussed the big plays,

music lesson to math tutor to soccer game. Every

27

activity is organized and overseen by adults.

much nicer cars, less street noise, clearer air,

This is not all bad. I think that in many ways the

mixed ethnic groups in sidewalk restaurants,

relationship between kids and adults, kids and

and multiple families living in the big Victorian

their parents, is much closer than in my day. But

houses. Not the same world. Talk to a kid on the

something very significant has also been lost.

street, (when one can be found-they are usually

My last trip to suburban Chicago and the old neighborhood revealed no empty lots, no pick-up games, a lot of adult-supervised youth sports, busy kids and parents, many more and

leaping from one car to the next adventure) and they are generally more hip, glib, are inevitably texting and on cell phones, and more comfortable with adults and authority than I remember any of my gang of buddies.

Though life and lifestyles evolve with the times, something innately important has been lost.

The child-led rough and tumble play of my youth provided an outlet to learn valuable life lessons, independent of adult intervention. These lessons become a part of who we are, teach us negotiation and conflict resolution, and provide a setting and experience that cannot be equaled.

28

9.

CONSEQUENCES OF A PLAY DEPRIVED LIFE In 1966, I was a young academic psychiatrist, a research-oriented clinician about to be involved in a life changing experience as a Commission member evaluating the mass murders committed in Austin by the Texas Tower Sniper.

My initial awarenesss of the potential significance

and strong evidence of continuing rage and

of play deprivation began under violent and

depression that had characterized his inner

tragic circumstances. In August of 1966, Charles

life, while externally he had been able to mask

Whitman, a 25 year old ex marine, former Eagle

this by a skillful mimicry of what he considered

Scout and an architectural engineering student at

normal behavior.

the University of Texas, without a criminal record

As this investigation gained momentum, a sage

or the awareness that he was potentially violent,

child psychiatrist appointed to the Commission,

killed his wife and mother, and the following

Robert Stubblefield, stated repeatedly “What if at

day ascended the University of Texas Tower,

this portion of his life he had just been allowed

and by extremely accurate sniper fire, killed 12

to play?” We noted that his overbearing father

more innocent victims, and wounded 32 until he

and submissive and frequently abused mother

was himself killed by two courageous men who

essentially suppressed any free and normal play

braved his onslaught and were able to end what

behavior that was sustained until he left home

was then the worst mass murder in US history.

after high school to join the Marines. Of the

Along with others from a wide variety of

many play reviews I have conducted over the

disciplines I was appointed to a Commission

many years since the Tower Tragedy, Whitman’s

that Governor John Connally of Texas organized

suppressed play behavior by an incredibly

to provide answers to “what drove this young

overbearing and disturbed father is the most

non-criminal man to terrorize the otherwise

oppressive of any I have investigated.

serene campus?” For some 20 weeks a diverse

The Commission’s conclusions included in their

and distinguished group from many disciplines intensely reviewed as many resources of information, including exhaustive analyses of his

collective judgment that the almost complete suppression of normal play behavior and the toxic and often violent home background as well as his

biological givens and cultural heritage, recent triggering events, and a highly detailed series of interviews with those who had known him and

familiarity with firearms, and certain humiliating ongoing circumstances meant that he could no longer contain a volcanic chronic inner rage that

his extended family over the years. Whitman had

he otherwise might well have contained, or at

also provided detailed diaries over the past 4-5

least with healthy play or with his development

years which revealed some of his inner hidden

of other coping strategies that might have, if

torment. We had a huge amount of information,

adapted, alleviated his final lethal acts.

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30

9. CONSEQUENCES OF A PLAY DEPRIVED LIFE

But Whitman then seemed to me as a researcher

broader context to the significance of rough and

as a once in a lifetime rare aberration. He was a

tumble play. Objective studies of animal play,

bright, troubled, highly-stressed individual with

and many anecdotal reviews of play-deprived

unique background triggers. That is, his history

humans as well as the positive evidences of the

seemed unique until I had spent the better part

benefits of rough and tumble play demonstrate

of a year interviewing homicidal males in the

its importance. The process of such play is

Texas Huntsville Prison, and compared their

essentially organized by the players themselves.

overall histories with a matched comparison

It allows intrinsic motivation and playful action to

population. What leapt out of the information

be combined.

we were accumulating was that both Whitman

Most

and the homicidal males had NOT engaged in

highly

social

mammals,

in

their

developmental youth, engage in rough and

normal rough and tumble play. No memories

tumble play, or “play-fighting.” They chase,

of playground buddies. No involvement in

wrestle, exuberantly play-bite and generally

games of chase and escape. Lots of aggression

whoop it up with others of their troop, pride, or

or isolation. Whereas the comparison group

tribe. This is a pattern of play seen not only in

had almost 100% recall of exuberant childhood

them, but also in us. It is a natural part of social

“free play” times with neighborhood or school-

mammal development. Of course, our species is

yard friends with positive remembrances of the

different and the vestiges of rough and tumble

names of playmates; who was the fastest, who

play extend beyond the exuberance of free play

was the most cagey, etc.

in childhood. But, it seems both our animal pals

So at the end of this year of research, the contrast

and us need it to become competent within our

between the homicidal males and their families,

own species.

and the large comparison group and their

However, in humans, the capacity to fully engage

families was stark. This was then and still is now a

in rough and tumble play requires a social

revelation that has stood the test of time. This was

learning curve that requires progressive learning.

1967, so since then a great deal of play-related

It generally begins with parallel play between

research has been conducted, and provides a

31

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

early preschoolers which is not particularly

physical activity. So when PlayCore establishes

intense, to gradually more risk taking, chase and

settings which foster kid-organized rough and

escape games, to the heckling and other social

tumble play, they are positively influencing the

verbal rough and tumble patterns with very

competency of participants for later “belonging”

complex social learning progressively happening

to one’s own community and greater adaptability

as physical play naturally tends to diminish.

in a variety of social settings. This learning

The social learning of complex interchanges,

process was missed in Whitman and the young

the development of empathy, tolerance of

murderers in our 1966-67 study.

differences, and the feelings of “belonging” are

What has been particularly jarring to me as a play

largely learned though kid-organized rough and

scholar in the many years since Whitman and the

tumble play. Whitman and the homicidal males

pilot study of young murderers are the objective

did not have the full opportunity to experience

studies where highly playful social animals in

this important developmental norm in their

controlled laboratory settings are prevented

lives. And according to many play researchers, this natural and significant pattern of social learning through the trial-and-error of rough

from engaging in what for them is normal rough and tumble play. (and R&T play is a normally expected developmental pattern for them.)

and tumble play is suppressed by many wellmeaning parents and caretakers, particularly in preschool settings as it is seen (falsely) as chaos, inappropriate aggression, or disorderly anarchy. Thus its value and essential nature are

When this happens, the play-deprived animals cannot form normal social relationships with their peers. They can’t discriminate friend from foe, do not bond socially to mate, and exhibit many other deficiencies, including less rich connectedness

missed. Of course, missing this pattern of play

in their brains. While Whitman and the murderers

is significant, but other factors make violent

were not lab animals, the parallelism between

outbursts more likely.

their

play

deficiencies,

and

the

objective

Rough and tumble players stay friends. Rough

problems in forming trusting social bonds with

and tumble animal players show lessened

others seems very significant and parallel.

stress hormone secretion despite vigorous

All the more so as we understand more fully the neuroscience of play behaviors, and see clearly that we share some fundamental brain wiring that prompts essential play patterns with us and our animal cousins. Rough and tumble play is instinctive, unless we suppress it.

32

10.

ENJOYING A FULFILLING LIFE BY RETAINING OUR ABILITY AND RIGHT TO PLAY Why do we feel that play is not necessary, or optional as we grow up? What happens to adults that causes us to leave play behind and dismiss the fact that all its benefits continue for life?

In previous articles, we have viewed play from

As a physician, I have come to see it from many

many angles. Why do we play, how do animals

years of exploring it scientifically that play is a

play, how are we humans designed to play, what

public health necessity from birth to death. But

are some of its benefits, how does its presence

sadly, for the majority of adults, even if they revel

show us what our most natural talents are, what

in the play they enjoy, this sense of its loss as

are some patterns of play, such as rough and

compared to when they were kids is pervasive,

tumble romping in early childhood, what are

with the feeling that something about being an

some consequences when we don’t play, etc,

adult requires this nostalgia for lost childhood

but we have not examined the common feeling

free play to remain nostalgic, and not a hallmark

that most adults have, namely that it is really

of adulthood. This mainstream attitude rests

optional for us grown-ups, fine for kids, and OK

on a belief that is false and not in accord with

for vacation-time or weekends or for a golf or ball

the play science that has emerged with the

game. Somehow the freedom and joy of play that

information age.

we experienced on an hourly or daily basis, an

Perhaps a second look at our “neotenous” natures

essential element of life for us as we were kids,

will remind us that we are designed by nature with

is now missing in our daily responsible adult

a species-specific, ingrained, embedded instinct

life. And we lament that loss, but usually do not

to play all of our lives. Our lifelong brain plasticity

question our need for it throughout our lives.

is primed by playfulness. Yes, the preferred

My observations of adults who embrace fully

patterns of play change as we pass through

their inherent play nature are that it assures the

the various stages of our lifecycle, but getting

fulfilled player a better quality of life, decreases

fully engaged from within our own intrinsically

stress, connects them better with their particular

motivated selves is what play provides, and

communities, keeps them optimistic in a very

the benefits for individual health, and even

changing, challenging, and demanding world,

the continuing presence of social cohesion so

fosters empathy, and thus makes sense to

necessary for the survival of democracy, requires

include for us all. And in consulting with corporate

the presence of playfulness.

researchers, it is an inexorable component in the “joy of discovery,”

33

34

10. RETAINING OUR ABILITY AND RIGHT TO PLAY

A systematic look at our evolutionary heritage

it was a ball game with your dad? Whatever the

shows us that being hunter-gatherers for many

memory, if through the recall of those moments

survival

circumstances

of playful emotional bliss you rediscover your

notwithstanding, required our forbearers to

based

eons,

harsh

inner capacity for engagement, you are on the

include play throughout their lives. And the current

right track for discovering the innate path to your

science that looks at our DNA and compares it

particular favored play choice. Embedded in our

with our animal cousins who lose their play as

nature is this capacity to lighten up our adult

their instinct demands, demonstrates that it stuck

lives. Play often begins with a sense of nonsense,

around in our genes (and epigenes) beyond its

which is somehow dismissed in our adult culture

shaping effects so obvious in our long playful

as foolishness. But if you listen to the purity of

childhoods. So the statement, “ we are built to play

children at play, you’ll notice their play is often

and built by play” holds for our lifetimes.

launched with a little humor and nonsense. If you can get over feeling silly, and realize its ok to be

So what will allow you as an adult to reclaim

nonsensical, you are on the way to experiencing

the essence of play? What gives you now the

the lightness of being we all need. We are built to

pure release that authentic play offers? What is

play, and built by play-for all of our lives.

it now that engages you so completely that you are no longer conscious of time or oblivious to

So now I am an old man in his 80’s, and I play

performance outcome? Can you rediscover the

differently than when I was 10. But when two dogs

spontaneous passion that we all are capable of

on the local Carmel, California, beach begin a

experiencing?

raucous romp and include me in their compelling play signaling, it somehow miraculously forces

We each have our own “play personalities.” Yours

me to gleefully join in. I get caught up into it,

may have been suppressed by mainstream

and when I regain my wind, up comes that

(puritanical) cultural pressures or other life

remembered state of chasing my friends on the

processes. If so, this loss doesn’t mean your

playground in elementary school recess, and for

passion is gone or that you can’t once again

a few ecstatic moments I am “lost” in this nature-

experience full engagement. Most of us, with

instilled state of play. And as I muse about this

a little prompting, can find the trigger for the

encounter, I vividly and emotionally also recall

spontaneous play we enjoyed in childhood. Was

being completely engaged when I was 10 on

it hearing a rhythmic musical riff that got you

the sandy shores of a summer-drenched lake

dancing? Perhaps it was the exuberance of your

Michigan, and I reclaim in old age what has been

first bike ride without training wheels? Perhaps

mine all along. They chase me and I chase them.

The play nature that is mine and part of being human gets kindled, and its payoffs are bounteous, as they are for all of us.

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THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

11.

PLAY AND THE BRAIN The most complex entity in the known universe is the human brain.

In my long lifetime, it has been a privilege to

will increase your understanding of its magnitude,

view the immense flood of information on the

yet let you know that we are just on the threshold

human brain, so that we now know a great deal

of discovering its lifelong importance to our well-

about it, from the physiology of individual neurons

being.

and their connections (we each have trillions of

If you have read the book, Play, How it Shapes the

connections,) to patterns that underlie human

Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the

behavior.

Soul, you will know that I had a wonderfully playful

To gain better understanding of just how the

Labrador Retriever, Jason (of the golden fleece!)

brain works, the majority of play researchers have

Well, being interested in just how strong his play

focused on an individual brain cell and how it acts,

impulses were, I decided to test them. Jason

or have looked at millions of cells operating in

loved to be taken out for a run, usually on leash

harmony to produce behavior. We are still a long

until an open field was reached. So whenever

way from understanding human consciousness,

the leash was evident, he excitedly responded.

or plumbing the depths of major mental illnesses

He also loved to eat, and while famished in the

like schizophrenia, so stay tuned as more and more

morning, he usually relished good dog food first

research brings clarity. Despite the unknowns that

thing before his outdoor romp. I decided to test

still exist, nonetheless, we are on the threshold

which was stronger, the urge to eat or the desire

of much greater and practical understanding,

to go for a playful run? So concurrently, I set out

and PLAY can now be seen in perspectives that

a luscious bowl of his favorite food, and held up

increase its overall importance in the scheme of

his leash. He inevitably chose the leash and the

things.

outdoor adventure over scarfing up his food.

Hmm. It seemed the play urge was stronger that

Back in the late 60’s, as a young research-

the hunger urge. A big surprise at the time.

oriented psychiatrist, when I learned that severe play deprivation had major negative behavioral

Since then, I have found through the meticulous

consequences (in particular, its absence led

research of others, that the circuits in the playful

to predilections to violence and lack of social

mammal brain that respond to play triggers (the

empathy) I got curious about the whole subject

leash) and the hunger circuits both are located in

of play and the brain. Following is a condensed

the deep survival centers of the brain.

version, with help from many sources, that I hope

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38

11. PLAY AND THE BRAIN

And these animal play researchers have found

the non-players can’t tell friend from foe, can’t

that when a potentially playful animal is offered

mate normally, over-respond to stress, and upon

the choice between play and eating, or play and

microscopic examination of their brains reveal

resting, etc. and other choices, that the urge to

smaller brains, with fewer connections. And there

play is right up there with other very important

is much beyond this research on rat play in other

survival instincts. Hmm again.

playful species to substantiate the centrality of healthy play for the full development of executive

Now if kids who usually are given free rein to

(prefrontal cortex) brain development, plus solid

cavort in playgrounds are one day allowed no

findings that many cortical genes are selectively

restraint on their usual play, but the next day are

activated by play itself. While this is objective

restricted from it, and on the third day given no

animal play research, not ethically allowed on

restrictions, on that day their play will be more

humans, the obvious parallelism to our human

intense and extended than if it had not been

condition seems evident.

restricted. Hmm again. This “physiologic rebound phenomenon” is also seen if sleep is restricted

Severe play deprivation in humans, (wartime,

and then allowed. From the brain’s point of

child abuse, isolation, etc.) shows a similarity to

view, both play and sleep are experienced as

the controlled laboratory anti-play observations.

“physiologic necessities” just as something as

My interviews of highly playful Nobel Laureates

basic as, for example, drinking to slake thirst.

and other deeply engaged fulfilled and playful

Considering play from this perspective, it is a

adults, as well as many reviews of play starved

NECESSITY.

adults who have “lost” their play upholds the

I could go on with other examples from the

stark findings of the animal researchers, as well

objective studies of animal play research

as the positive results from developmentally

showing just how the brain reacts to play, but

healthy play.

I will give you one. Rats are very playful. At 4

PlayCore, with its broad emphasis on play

weeks of age, both genders are full of cavorting

for people with disabilities, multigenerational

rough and tumble play. This activity dominates

play, and the design of settings that trigger our

their juvenile development until about 15

innate human capacity for, and need to, play,

weeks of age, when play naturally trails off in

is in harmony with this basic brain science of

the service of rat reproductive preoccupations. (sound familiar?)

Now if a rat play researcher

prevents the normal rough and tumble play from occurring, but then allows the mature non-player to rejoin the rat pack, what is the result? Well,

play itself. Play fosters new brain connections no matter what your age or status, so to benefit across a number of important brain factors, we simply must keep playing!

Play fosters new brain connections no matter what your age or status, so to benefit across a number of important brain factors, we simply must keep playing!

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12.

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT: THE SCIENCE OF PLAY RESEARCH The explosion of shared information that our current neuroscience community is flowing into internet based resources and contemporary university libraries is beginning to deepen and alter the brain science view of play behavior in exciting new perspectives.

Because play science is not yet generally

patterns of play common to all to be objectified

regarded as a separate discipline worthy of

as reflective of fundamental brain activities.

major funding, the information that supports

In the case of highly playful animals, it can be

play science and its positive effects on brain

observed and manipulated in laboratory settings.

development and functioning must be culled

Animal play researchers have discovered that the origins of play behavior rise from the deepest survival centers of mammal brainstem and limbic

“

systems, in ways, for example, very similar to the deeply necessary survival impulses that foster sleep and dreams and fundamental caretaking.

Here is a sampling of what play does for the player, with reference to its effect on the brain.

Because of our animal cousins, it is reasonable to assume that our species duplicates many of these objective findings from the animal play world.

In short, the many benefits that play produces are best clarified when play behaviors are

”

missed, as can be produced in laboratories, and duplicated by tragic human circumstances such as prolonged hunger, warfare and natural disasters, social abuse, and more. When these deprivations are collectively analyzed in both

from many points on the scientific compass. By doing so, here is a sampling of what play does for player, with reference to its effect on the brain.

the play-deprived mammal and play-deprived humans, an array of deficiencies that reflect brain functions directly of these are the ability to manage stress, the ability to achieve social norms

The architect of the brains of highly playful

necessary for complex socially acceptable living

mammals is similar in its design, neurotransmitters,

(such as good emotional regulation, handling of

hormonal adjustments, and much more, allowing

aggression and more).

41

As the technical mastery of brain imaging is

released “brain fertilizers” (such as BDNF, IGF-1,

becoming more sophisticated, these techniques

endocannabinoids, dopamine, etc.) are bringing

are allowing more precise visualization of play

the immensely complex landscapes of behavior

related circuitry. These findings, along with the

into clearer view.

expanding capacity to assay and localize play-

So as play behavior can be separated from others, become better defined in its evolution and physiology, the neuroscience community will more fully recognize its centrality to full-fledged brain development and healthy maintenance. This perception is imminently on the neuroscience horizon. It is an exciting time for the emerging discipline of play science.

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13.

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY: HOW PLAY HELPS US DEVELOP RESILIENCE Resilience, or the ability to manage stress and adversity, and the capacity of keeping our equanimity in the face of challenges, is a quality we all aspire to enjoy and possess, because it is inevitable that life will produce stress-inducing demands and unexpected difficult elements.

Rarely if ever is play considered a prerequisite or

coping mechanisms. We presume that play as a

even a component of the ingredients we usually

phenotype has been through the rigors of natural

associate with the indoctrination of resilience,

selection and has afforded some advantage—

or is it generally appreciated in its contributions

or at the very least, has not been a significant

for how we manage stress, or how we face and

disadvantage—to species that play. [and we are

master adversity.

the most playful of all known species.] Indeed,

But in our long transition over the ages, well documented by paleo-anthropologists, from

play may have emerged as a stable behavior pattern across a variety of species over the course of evolution, but one that truly took hold in the

nomadic hunter-gatherers to our world-wide

mammalian brain. where, play seems to be largely

primate human status now, surrounded as we

a subcortical event. …, which points to a brain

are with technologic marvels and urban lifestyles;

systemthat probably appeared fairly early in the

nonetheless, we can now place play in deep, deep context, and see it as it is, an ingrained part of all of us, and a necessity for overall human competency.

course of mammalian evolution. As prevalent as play proves to be, it does not occur in a vacuum.

For the young of many species, the journey from

And play has survived for good reasons.

birth to adulthood can be filled with peril and considerable danger. Because play evolved

Add to this valid historic perspective, the

amid these dangers, we need to understand its

comparison of our brain design to those of

interaction with them in order to understand the

our playful animal cousins, fresh insights and

evolution of mammalian playfulness.”

increased appreciation for play emerges. We are just now beginning to appreciate its importance.

The objective studies that animal play in controlled settings has produced, (as it would not be ethical

As research psychologist Steve Siviy has written in Vol. #2 of the American Journal of Play,

to conduct such research on humans) show

“Yet various species have survived through

the normal demands of belonging to a species-

countless episodes of adversity, and they did

specific social group, nor do they handle stress

so partly because they developed arsenals of

adequately. On the other hand, play-filled animals

that play-deprived animals cannot cope with

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44

13. THE SCIENCE OF PLAY: HOW PLAY HELPS US DEVELOP RESILIENCE

deal with stress much better, show rapid recovery

need for adult and senior play, play throughout

from stressful encounters, (animal resilience) and

our lifetimes remains profoundly important.

also demonstrate superior coping when presented with unexpected challenges. It is my view that human play, though we cannot objectify it through controlled studies, has parallel contributions to those seen in animal play research. The use of this information as it becomes more complete will provide data and be convincing to bring about broad policy changes that appreciate and implement play.

So it seems important for us to know…Does play by itself have the potential for easing stress? Some evidence in the literature about human play says it does. My work with at risk violent offenders reinforces this conclusion.

An early study that looked at preschool children found that those children distressed on the first day of school who were allowed to play became less anxious afterwards than distressed

“

children to whom someone simply read a story.

contributions to those seen

it was most evident in children who were allowed

Interestingly, this lessening of distress became

Human play has parallel in animal play research.

”

that free play reduces anxiety and lessens stress

to the control group of the same age in a daycare center. While those with leukemia played

of survival-promotion functions pertaining tostress management, overall competency, as well as learning, emotional regulation, innovation, and social cooperation. This understanding of the nature and importance of play, is especially vital in today’s world, because of the ever-increasing restrictions our culture places on children’s play.

As children spend more time in school and at other adult-directed activities and are prevented from play, ostensibly for safety reasons, or because of parental anxiety about school performance, college prep, etc. they are thus limited from playing in the free, self-directed, and sometimes risky ways that always characterized children’s play in the past. There is good reason to believe that such restrictions are deleterious to children’s social,

to play alone. In general, the evidence suggests

in children being treated for leukemia compared

in its many manifestations, serves a wide variety

emotional,

high levels of baseline anxiety to begin with, and

in children. Consider, for example, play studied

This animal play research makes it clear that play,

physical,

apparent only in those children who displayed

and

intellectual

development. Though not emphasized here, the

less overall than the control group, an interesting pattern emerged among them. As anxiety levels increased in the kids with leukemia and they felt more stressed, they engaged more frequently in solitary play than parallel or group play, and their play became more repetitive.

Stress and play are clearly not compatible, with fear and stress suppressing play. Yet, stress occurs frequently in the lives of all of us, children and adults. And clinical observations reinforce that play can be a source of resilience even in the face of serious adversity. Animals stop playing when a threat appears in their environment, which indicates that the mammalian brain as it evolved saw an adaptive advantage in ceasing to play.

But, once the immediate threat is over, play can start again, suggesting that the mammalian and thus our human brain as they both evolved saw no adaptive advantage in allowing feelings of fear and anxiety to linger.

45

PlayCore, by providing a well-designed supportive settings, along with encouraging communities to better understand play itself, can provide the type of effective projects that encourage a more rapid long-term ability to sustain resiliency, better manage stress, increase overall competency, and recover from adversity.

14.

PLAY AND NATURE As far back as 500 BCE Cyrus the Great built elaborate Persian gardens for relaxation. Paracelsus, a pioneering physician of the 16th century wrote, “The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.”

The great landscape architect Frederick Olmsted wrote, “the occasional contemplation of natural scenes… is favorable to the health and vigor…and especially to the health and vigor of the intellect.”

There is broad ranging and growing amounts of

As regular readers of this blog know, the science

scientific data strongly indicating that human and

of play informs us that play is a fundamental

social health improves in nature environments.

process of virtually all mobile life forms and their

Specific examples include research showing

play patterns vary from simple to complex in

that a 15-minute walk in the woods reduces

direct proportion to the complexity of the species.

stress and induces more optimistic perspectives.

Looking

Post-operative recovery times are reduced with

at

play

patterns

across

species,

scientists have learned that these simple to

images of trees and flowers in hospital rooms and,

complex behaviors all are initiated from pre-

similarly, that the toll depression and obesity are

wired places deep in the earliest crafted parts of

increasingly taking on urban dwellers is mitigated by the availability of parks and green spaces.

The benefits of being in and near nature are no longer intuitive alone; the data now exists to prove that life is better and disease and even mortality indices are reduced as nature is more a part of our lives.

Disconnection from nature is the new normal e.g., greatly diminished amounts of time kids and adults are outdoors – driven by long work hours, the attraction of screen time and more.

Scientific research is showing that this “indoor imprisonment” causes mental health and stressrelated illnesses. Being embedded in nature – which is our heritage, lowers stress, improves physiology and reduces predilections toward

the brain, parts that are similar across all species.

mental and physical health problems. Though

There is a lot yet to be learned about play, but.

stated here in general terms, they can all be

the research that we know of today shows that is

reinforced with exhaustive research data.

is as pervasive

47

as pervasive and as central to well-being as

empathy, curiosity, and stabilizes our emotional

sleeping-dreaming is for animals and humans alike.

moods. Similarly, while the importance of

Innately motivated, pleasurable actions - play or playful behavior – will, even in the short time of the playful engagement, increase one’s sense of optimism, foster fresh perspectives, lower stress, and at times foster imaginative reveries. Play behavior repeated regularly over time enhances

being close to nature and being playful has been intuitively right for many, neither were, historically, greatly appreciated by mainstream culture. Today we have an extensive amount of quantitative,

evidence-based

information

supporting the import of both nature and play.

It’s time to consider integrating more of these two beneficial phenomena into our lives – I believe we will learn that combining play and nature yields much more benefit than the sum of their individual benefits.

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15.

IMAGINATIVE AND PRETEND PLAY: OBSERVING THE NATURAL DEVELOPMENT OF IMAGINATIVE AND PRETEND PLAY IN INFANCY The way a safe and well-fed infant matures and spontaneously begins to play is affirmation of its nature as being an integral part of our human design to play in various ways.

Here is an example (courtesy of Liz Memel/

As best we can tell from his future actions, he

Resources for Infant Educarers) of enactment

is first imagining himself playfully involved. As

by a young child of his imaginative preverbal

we know, climbing is a play move that is deeply

contemplation to being triggered into playful

rooted in all of our DNA.

deliberate action by the presence of a playground

My toddler, (A) went all the way over (up one side

slide, leading to his subsequent deliberate

and down the other) of that triangular climber

mastery of the slide as his “play state” took over.

today. He had never done it before, though he’d

49

consider it many times. I’ve been watching for

cardboard box is a fort and we craft make-believe

months as he would cautiously climb the ladder,

narratives to animate it. Costumes from blankets

attempt to go all the way to the top, then step

allow imagined characters to become mentally

back down the way he came. Today he climbed

alive. Thus, given the safety and freedom to

up once and decided to back down. Then, a few

master the growing sense of how we and the

minutes later, he came back to it and went up and

world interact, imagination is a pivotal aspect of

over - cautiously, but confidently. Internally, I was

developing an authentic sense of self. We try on

throwing a fit - “You did it!” I thought, “Great job,

various identities.

amazing, awesome! You finally did it!” Outwardly, of course, I gave no reaction. And A.? He didn’t even look at me. He was doing it for himself, not for me. Didn’t even care if I was watching or saw.

It was no big deal to him - he just climbed up and over. Then, even better, he did it again, and again. Mastery. And at no point did he look to me for validation or praise. It was his success, on his terms in his time and he owns that! I love it.

The world is, during childhood, a mix of pretendreal narratives-encounters with pets, caterpillars, songbirds,

and

the

amazing

options

for

immersion in the natural world evoke fantasies and imaginary reveries. The socio-dramatic interactions that animate playgrounds, and reverberate in recess and other circumstances of freely interactive kids at play can provide. When this childhood pretend-real narrative is scripted

It is reasonable to speculate that A’s appraisal

by adults or is co-opted by pre-programmed

of the slide, its presence triggered his primate-

toys or is absent because of excessive screen

play climbing instincts, so...he first imagined

content, the contribution that spontaneous

climbing, and then did it. His preverbal playful

imaginative reveries would otherwise produce is

imagination was required first, with no extrinsic

attenuated. Such deprivation of what otherwise

motivation provided by his mother! This dynamic

would be a spontaneous intrinsically driven mix

spontaneously occurs repeatedly as the many

of pretend and real is missing, and with that loss,

play-evoking triggers are bountifully provided

a less fertile imagination to enrich the expanding

by a play -nourishing environment. Though

world perspectives is the result. The data about

this is a simple example, it provides a base for

the current diminishment of kids’ spontaneous

better understanding of playful imagination as

fantasy story-telling reveals a major loss of

more complex circumstances offer more diverse

spontaneous rich imaginative content that in

imaginative reveries.

earlier times was the norm. So the grounding of

As is evident from this early play view, as verbal language and social development proceed, the playful imagination that is waiting by nature’s design to be activated get propelled and elaborated by virtually any object or social situation. A banana becomes a cell phone, and wake me up imaginative phone conversations. A

oneself in free imaginative-pretend narratives is an important element to staying playful, optimistic and yes, staying more resilient as adult responsibilities and demands inevitably accrue.

This is an important public health fundamental, as

cooperative

community

cohesion

and

problem-solving demand imaginative solutions.

As play neuroscience becomes more comprehensive, the likelihood that playful imagination and emotional and intellectual intelligence is amplified by imagination is a reasonable expectation.

50

16.

IMAGINATIVE AND PRETEND PLAY: IMAGINATIVE PLAY IS AN IMPORTANT BEHAVIOR TO PROMOTE LIFELONG CREATIVITY The most value of play is gained when one experiences it as a joy-producing and life-enhancing “state of being.”

Experiencing the joy of play can expand one’s

through more mature eyes. However, and this is

view from its being for kids only - with occasional

a big however...to maintain a rich imaginative life

non-work adult escapism - to a fresh, invigorating

grounded in the freedom to play with possibilities

recognition of the many lifelong situations in which

is key to maintaining a creative, adaptive life

playfulness can be experienced. Whether deep

as one matures. This capacity to continue to

engagement from the solitary joyful collection of

playfully imagine is what animates the creative

four-leaf clovers, or exuberant playground rough

sessions of corporations such as IDEO, with

and tumble chaos, to an elderly nursing home

culture changing outcomes from group sharing

occupant reveling in hearing a beloved operatic

of imaginative ways of problem solving.

aria, all represent states of play.

Imaginative and pretend play are necessary and

Common elements that identify a behavior as

significant aspects on the path toward becoming

play or playful are spontaneous engagement, joy

competent adults, and also seeing imaginative-

producing emotions, intrinsic motivation (done

pretend play as a prerequisite to experiencing

for its own sake guided by authentic personal

life as part of living as a fully human adult. This is

preferences) as well as outcomes not expected

not the usual way of seeing imaginative life. Not

by the player(s) such as increased personal

all imagination is playful, but when it is not driven

mastery, more emotional regulation and ability to

by anxiety or pressure for solution to a pressing

adapt to and handle life situations with greater

problem, it qualifies as play.

resiliency. The benefits are manifold: it fosters the

Since play is deeply embedded in both playful

use of novelty to add new skills and knowledge,

animal and human behavior, it can be evoked

which is beneficial at any age.

by wide variety of “play triggers.” It is, however, a

Last month we began to focus on the uniquely

unique pattern of human play. Like other forms of

human play propensity for imaginative or pretend

play, human playful imagination is often sparked

play. While we are enacting pretend-imaginative

by “triggers” in the environment. They may be

play, we are the imagined characters. That it

physical, situational, or verbal. PlayCore has

does not fully reflect reality is not a problem;

studied many of these and incorporates them

the pretend-real dualism that characterizes

into a wide variety of play-evoking settings for

imaginative early play gradually is blended more

children and adults alike. The play-driven internal

and more with the reality of seeing the world

narratives that youthful play produces becomes

51

the essence of the stream of consciousness-

get lost in the many demands of adulthood,

self, the REAL SELF; this private thought stream

or because we fail to honor the importance of

is the product-an amalgam of the evolving

keeping our adult imaginations fully alive.) But

pretend-narrative. (And upon closer examination,

preceding the actual engagement into a play state

it continues to elaborate as life progresses. We

usually requires anticipatory playful imagination.

never relinquish our imaginations, they just often

The many basic elements of play, with imaginative play being one of its fundamentals are necessary components of our lifelong design to play. It is common consensus that kids need to play. However, the balanced adult life needs sufficient amounts of our preferred modes of play to keep us optimistic and better able to deal with life’s real demands.

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17.

TINKERING AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PROBLEM SOLVING Today, I am reveling in one of many long walks along the mile and a half white sandy stretch of beach that joins Carmel-by-the sea with the Pacific Ocean. It is impossible to have a bad day with this ambience…

This article will focus on playful hand-brain

planet’s surface for years. You might say that JPL

connections

unexpected

invented the Space Age. No matter how big and

additional lasting benefits that play with one’s

ambitious the goal, the researchers could always

hands produces. I am particularly indebted to

be relied on to say, “We can do that.” But in the

the remarkable work of now retired neurologist

late nineties, the lab’s management was saying,

Frank Wilson for providing pioneering work

“JPL, we have a problem.” As the lab neared

memorialized in his landmark book, “The Hand,

the new century, the group of engineers and

How Its Use Shapes the Brain, Language, and

scientists who had come on board in the 1960s,

Human Culture.” For any blog reader looking to

those who put men on the moon and built robotic

probe more deeply into the linkages between our

probes to explore the solar system, were retiring

overall human intelligence and our remarkable

in large numbers. And JPL was having a hard time

hands, I recommend Frank’s book.

replacing them with innovative problem-solving

and

the

often

research engineers. Even though JPL hired the top

The following story was passed on to me by the

graduates from renowned engineering schools

author, film maker, play expert and former Long

like MIT, Stanford, and even Cal Tech itself, the new

Beach resident, Michael Mendizza, currently the

hires were often missing something. They were not

CEO/Founder of the non-profit organization,

very good at certain types of problem solving that

“Touch the Future.”

are critical to the job. The experienced managers found that the newly minted engineers might

Jet Propulsion Laboratories have been the United

States

premier

aerospace

excel at grappling with theoretical, mathematical

research

problems at the frontiers of engineering, but

facilities for more than seven decades. Through

they didn’t do well with the practical difficulties of

their relationship with NASA, the scientists and

taking a complex project from theory to practice.

engineers at JPL have designed and managed major components

of

every manned

Unlike their elders, the young engineers couldn’t

and

spot the key flaws in one of the complex systems

unmanned mission of our time, and have been

they were working on, or toss the problem around,

completely responsible for dreaming up, building,

break it down, pick it apart, tease out its critical

and operating complex projects like the robot

elements, and rearrange them in innovative ways

vehicles that landed on Mars and explored the

that led to a solution.

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17. TINKERING AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PROBLEM SOLVING

Then the head of JPL-NASA Human Resources

broadly by early playful hand crafting activities,

found Nate Jones and Frank Wilson. Jones ran

and that overall human intelligence, even linguistic

a Long Beach based renowned auto repair and

skills were related to “the hand in search of the

machine shop that specialized in precision racing

brain, and the brain in search of the hand.”The

and Formula One tires. He had been mentoring

article appeared in the Long Beach paper, and

kids interested in cars for years, and he had noticed

was read by the HR JPL-NASA executive, who

that many of the new kids coming in to voluntary

agreed fully with the article’s conclusions. The

work at the shop were not able to problem solve

JPL-NASA managers went back to look at their

“

Jones found that those who had worked and played with their hands as they were growing up were able to “see solutions” that those who hadn’t worked with their hands could not.

”

as adeptly as kids from an earlier era. They were

own retiring engineers and found a similar

eager to learn, but lacked common sense savvy

pattern. They found that in their youth, their older,

that many of the earlier kids had demonstrated.

problem- solving research based employees had

Jones and his wife, who is a teacher, wondered

taken apart clocks to see how they worked, or

what had changed. After questioning the new

made soapbox derby racers, or built hi-fi stereos,

kids and the older now garage-alumni kids and

or had fixed appliances. The young engineering

garage employees, Jones found that those who

school graduates who had also done these things,

had worked and played with their hands as they

who had played with their hands, were adept at

were growing up were able to “see solutions”

the kinds of problem solving that management

that those who hadn’t worked with their hands

sought. Those who hadn’t, generally were not.

could not. And most of the new kids were of the

From that point on, JPL-NASA made questions

TV generation and were just entering the screen

about applicants’ youthful projects and hand-play

dominated computer era.

a standard part of job interviews.

Jones’ daughter was also a teacher, and had read

From

Frank’s book “The Hand,” and being intrigued by

concluded that the ability to mentally “play” with

her Dad’s findings, arranged for Frank and Nate

3-dimensional imaginative objects well, was

to confer. It was a serendipitous meeting, and

linked to the brain’s broad fertilization, and the

together they agreed to write an article proposing

many interconnections between the cerebellum

that the difference in the kids Nate was now

and cerebral cortex stimulated by joyful hand-

mentoring and earlier kids backgrounds was that

brain activities. So the connections Frank had

the earlier kids had an almost universal common

made

experience as TINKERERS. JPL was not then

scholarship and the practical needs of JPL-NASA

on their radar. This finding fit with Frank’s long

were satisfyingly confirmed, as was the wisdom

hand-based research that the brain gets fertilized

of Nate, his wife and daughter.

55

Frank

through

Wilson’s

his

research,

meticulous

he

had

hand-brain

And from my play-based viewpoint, the sustained

on experiential tactile pleasure of block play.

motivation and engagement to keep building

By using blocks, children can piece together

things with their hands meant that the good

shapes to create a bigger picture, whether it is a

problem solving engineers in addition to being

representation of something they have seen or

adept with their hands also had real fun in pursuing

from their imagination. The open-ended nature of

a natural affinity for using their hands.

block play naturally lends itself to playing a key

One does not need to ultimately pursue an engineering career to gain benefits from messing around with one’s hands. A flood of neuroscience

role in dramatic play activities. Creating a zoo, building a space ship or designing a castle are ideas a preschooler can bring to life using blocks.

information now supports that hand-brain activity

And block play is just one of many early hand-

stimulates existing brain circuits that enhance

object play opportunities that are basic to

overall human intelligence. (conclusions that

accelerating the understanding of the world, its

Frank mentions again and again in his book)

parts and your particular place in it!

So one of many take-aways from this blog is for preschoolers-assure that they enjoy the hands-

The recently validated overall benefits of early and continued hand-play to human intelligence and wellbeing has me, after completing this blog to head today to the local lumber yard to get the wood and soil to build some planter-boxes for seasonable vegetable-planting that living in the Salinas Valley allows. Never too late!

18.

EPIGENESIS, PLAY, AND ITS EFFECT ON OUR LIVES Play and epigenesis - the importance of playfulness in the life of the expectant mother for the long-term benefit of both her and her developing child in the womb, and even beyond them to affect deeply the subsequent offspring of this in-utero child.

This is a new dimension focusing on the positive

gets activated or is kept dormant or can be

effects of play from before birth throughout the

uniquely transformed by environmental influences

entire human life cycle and to generations beyond

is at the heart of the science of epigenesis.

the present one. Wow! Not the usual way we see

To quote from an article by Nessa Carrey-

play behavior! (Naturally, the play behavior of an

Epigenetics

expectant mother should be fine-tuned to reduce

is

the

new

discipline

that

is

revolutionizing biology. Whenever two genetically

any possibility of an injury.) Seems a stretch, but

identical individuals (like identical twins) are

the evidence is accumulating, and reviewing it

nonidentical in some way we can measure, this is

here allows us to see what contemporary science

called epigenetics. When a change in environment

predicts. I will connect the scientific evidence

has biological consequences that last long after

with what I know about the beneficial effects of

the event itself has vanished into distant memory,

play, and hope that the reader will connect this

we are seeing an epigenetic effect in action.

“deep” but somewhat speculative information about play and its capacities to lessen stress to

When scientists talk about epigenetics they are

this growing body of information about play, as

referring to all the cases in which the genetic code

well as re-emphasize its importance and place in

alone isn’t enough to describe what’s happening—

the lives of all of us demonstrating that play is a

there must be something else going on as well.

public health necessity.

Most of the current knowledge of epigenesis

In short, epigenesis is a name for changes to

has been to specify the long-term pre and post-

our genetic endowment that is the result of

natal consequences that focus on the negative

environmental experiences. Where the common

effects of stress, starvation or environmental

thinking is that genes are fixed and cannot be

toxins (like the fetal alcohol syndrome, lead in the

modified, that is a too narrow way of seeing

water supply, etc…) The specifics of the molecular

genetic inheritance. Yes, the basic DNA genetic

chemistry that identifies these epigenetic changes

code that is our unique individual pattern remains

has been currently more and more identified.

intact, like our fingerprints or eye color from

This means, and the majority of good science

generation to generation, but many of our 20,000+

currently demonstrates, that severe negative life

genes can be activated or rendered dormant due

experiences leave their marks that persist even

to environmental influences. But how and when a

beyond the generation that these environmental

gene susceptible to environmental manipulation

experiences happened. The detailed long term

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18. EPIGENESIS, PLAY, AND ITS EFFECT ON OUR LIVES

follow up by Dutch Scientists since the Nazi induced famine of 1944 has shown that this stress has been particularly significant for the starving pregnant mother and her third trimester fetus in utero. While the Dutch winter of 1944 and its deleterious effects have been meticulously studied and the negative prevalence of depression, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other major health and mental health issues are the result on the mother and subsequent generations, no comparative human studies on the positive epigenetic effects of high play, low stress, safe and well fed pregnancies have been conducted.

Especially those studies that demonstrate the positive and enduring epigenetic multigenerational effects of low stress and good health during the positive pregnancies that are the optimum for safe and well nourished young mothers. However, the evidence of long term play’s positive effects on prebirth low stress, good nutrition pregnancies in both the human and animal worlds does indeed demonstrate the long term multigenerational effects of good pregnancy conditions.

The science for human play and lowered stress throughout our lifespans is just getting started.

Fortunately, there are, however meticulous animal stress and play studies that provide evidence that positive epigenetic transmission occurs when play is allowed in controlled animal experimental settings.

Alternatively, high stress, low play environments and the multigenerational effects of these toxic objectively researched animal controlled environments echo negatively for foreseeable generations in these animal studies, with many of the same physiologic effects clearly operative in us and our animal cousins. So common sense suggests that similar effects apply to our human species. Thus, for these controlled animal studies, (unethical to consider doing them with humans) both positive and negative epigenetic changes and play related positive animal outcomes allow this play science to be hypothetically applied to suggest that low stress, healthy play for pregnant to-be-human mothers is an Rx that is good common sense with sufficient science to promote healthy, safe individualized play into the lives of all pregnant women.

It is my view that mothers who are less stressed will benefit their unborn babies by positively inducing epigenetically induced health-enhancing traits, with individually appropriate play included as necessary.

While the science of stress-induced multigenerational problems has been informing us of the damage stress creates, the stress reducing effects of play have not yet fully entered widespread prenatal advice.

Prenatal vitamins, along with good nutrition, avoidance of alcohol, removal of toxic environmental contacts, etc. are generally dogma for expectant mothers.

Prenatal vitamins, along with good nutrition, avoidance of alcohol, removal of toxic environmental contacts, etc. are generally dogma for expectant mothers. Yet the positive effects of PLAY produces benefits for the mother, her unborn child, and that child’s future offspring. Wow again!

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19.

MUSIC IS PLAY FOR EVERYONE Play, despite the solid scientific descriptions of its benefits for all age groups, is still often seen as mainly for kids, and not important for all throughout life. I want to emphasize how rhythm, music, and movement can help to produce “states” of play, which improve well-being and the quality of life.

61

From

playful

thought of her less-than-perfect technique and

interactions upon viewing our loving mother’s

our

joyous

first

smiles

and

outfits. But from the beginning, the instructor

face, we are social beings dependent on each

exuded joy and acceptance. The music is loud,

other for the experience of our play nature. Play

commanding, penetrating, and popular, and often

is a basic element in our collectively human lives,

generates a reminiscent smile through the day,

and is “hard wired” into us as a necessary instinct.

as well as the desire to move at home, and the

We also live in a rhythmic world. The succession

undeniable ability to travel through life better.

of the seasons, the phases of the moon, day and

Over the past year, her self-consciousness

night cycles all influence how we experience

evaporated as her joy grew in the pure

ourselves, our bodies and emotions, and our

appreciation of moving to music. The movements

surroundings. And as we explore our biological

have become intuitive, energetic, and forgiving,

rhythms, we find that even at the cellular level,

and she has become increasingly present,

each of our trillions of cells vary in their activity

unburdened, grateful, and happy in this playful

and metabolism rhythmically. We are “circadian”

state. She adds, “When I grant myself the freedom

(cyclic-rhythmic)

biological

and permission to be fully present, awake, and

design. Since music and dance have been part

in

our

essential

participatory, I have a great time and the whole

of our lengthy human heritage, it just may be that

day becomes remarkably better. My head is

missing out on any of these ingrained behaviors results in an unnecessary loss of basic elements that provide us more social joy.

“

Play is foundational and necessary, and missing out

Music, dance, and

on it at any stage of life has negative consequences.

communal festivity

So allied activities that trigger our innate play responses, particularly those that break through habits that suppress play are to be encouraged.

When play gets reintroduced to those who have been missing it, the flood of recognition of what has been missing is joyful. Music, dance and communal festivity form settings that are contagiously playful with profound enduring benefits.

My devotion to a better understanding of this play, has been amplified by my daughter Lauren’s recent experiences with play, music and dance.

She is a 50ish Boulder, Colorado housewife, mother and community leader who summoned the courage last year to try a dance class at a local health club. It’s a mix of zumba-latin-funk-hip-hop steeped in irreverence and youth, though few in the class are youthful. Dancing has become lifechanging, but not in the ways one might anticipate.

She started out reluctant and self-conscious, struggling to follow the steps, find the beat, and sustain the energy to last, worried what people

form settings that are contagiously playful with profound enduring benefits.

” clearer and my decisions stronger. I am less afraid of life’s challenges, and more willing to step up.”

For my very busy, involved and somewhat play-deprived daughter, the triggering of her innate capacity and need for play required the combination of elements that dance provided.

And each of us, whatever our life situation can easily miss out on what our play nature within us is waiting to provide. Among them are increased engagement in life with optimism, more energy to deal with the challenges we all face, better stress management, and the realization that within us are the capacities for more joy and more.

These are the benefits and very positive outcomes from finding our places in the universes of play.

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20.

“PLAY VACCINATIONS”: A REGULAR DOSE OF PLAY HAS IMMEASURABLE HEALTH BENEFITS The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on all of us has produced an understandable longing for a vaccine to end this modern-day plague, and give us our normal lives back.

The history of vaccinations is fascinating, beginning

Later, while a US Navy physician in San Diego, I

with Jenner and smallpox in the late 18th century,

got to know the Polio vaccine discoverer Jonas

and continuing to the recent development of a

Salk as he built the renowned Salk Institute on

COVID-19 vaccine.

Torrey Pines Mesa through the generosity of

This blog will examine a broader concept of vaccination, not by describing the use of a new injection or special oral potion to stimulate and

the March of Dimes philanthropy. After my Navy years, I journeyed elsewhere for further medical and research training, and returned to San Diego and again enjoyed the continuing pleasure and

orchestrate antibodies against a toxic invader, but

honor of spending more time with him as friend,

to suggest that through the experience of, and regular activation of resources that resonate inside all of us, increased overall well-being is achieved.

neighbor and colleague.

The lingering combination of the Salk friendship, (he died in 1995) and his highly personal review of

Just as vaccines are a public health priority, so

the history of vaccinations, his openness to also

too, might recognition and implementation of the

finding ways of altering violent or destructive

importance of regular play “vaccinations” be seen

human behaviors, plus my formal post-doctoral

as being as necessary as hand-washing, good

medical training, and the many subsequent years

nutrition or adequate sleep.

of play-based research has recently lead me to broaden the vaccine concept to apply its benefits

My life experiences in public health matters, first as one who lived his childhood prior to the antibiotic era in the late 30’s and early 40’s, during which I lost

also to instinctive human and animal behavioral patterns. These patterns, like our ingrained immune system are deeply embedded into our

my best friend at age 8 to meningitis (no antibiotics

natures, and have survived the ravages of time,

then available), and later to see a Polio epidemic in

plagues, wars and planetary changes. There are

Chicago change the landscape from open play and

genes and physiologic organizers for the immune

crowded swimming pools to an almost shelterat–home living mandate. The Polio vaccine was introduced in 1955. I remember thinking how lucky I was to be alive in the antibiotic and vaccine eras.

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system that have persisted, but also in our genes and environmental proclivities are survival patterns of behavior also, with play being one that

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20. “PLAY VACCINATIONS”: A REGULAR DOSE OF PLAY HAS IMMEASURABLE HEALTH BENEFITS

is rarely if ever seen as such. (Science

changing world. Here are just a few of its benefits,

demonstrates it to be now so seen and so

these now being more and more objectively

understood)

solidified by reputable

scientific research:

trust, mutual attunement, empathy, resilience,

So I want to apply these playful life experiences

adaptability, innovation, creativity, optimism,

and have them placed in perspective with the

communal belonging, immune system benefits,

current reality of this worldwide pandemic. This

sustained intrinsic motivation and the persistent

is not to downplay COVID-19 and its penetrance

desire to acquire mastery, and more.

As I have emphasized in other articles, play as it

“

is experienced needs to be enjoyed as a “state of being.” These moments of play can be quite

Getting oneself and the

different for each of us, depending on the life

family into states of play

circumstances, age, culture and more.

regularly is a necessary

Getting oneself and the family into states of play regularly is a necessary vaccination…but does not

vaccination.

always require anything more than a playful state of mind. This morning, atypically home-bound

”

due to the pandemic, I watched a replay of Federer win a long-past Wimbledon, and being engaged in its action, my mood and sense of vitality were lifted. My morning play vaccination.

Or imagine visiting a beloved but demented

and realities into our daily personal lives and

grandparent

worldwide economic and political realities,

who

you

musically

coached,

smiling, into singing “you are my sunshine” as

nor in any way lessen the significance of its

if for the first time. Whenever it is experienced,

devastating mortality and morbidity, but add

good things happen to the players.

what I have found through my play studies as an effective counter to the pervasive attitudinal negativities and their consequences that the

Getting oneself into this play based different-fromall-others “state of being” is the play vaccination

pandemic produced.

goal. Maybe daily or even hourly. Get there as often as you can, and and the other benefits of

Play exists and has survived for millions of years

play… empathy, optimism, an increased sense of

(like our immune systems) probably because it

vitality, will, with the pleasurable repetition that

fosters long-term survival and adaptation to a

play fosters, be more and more… yours.

This is what nature has offered us to cope with the inevitable travail of being in this world that can throw us the curve-balls of pandemics… and more. Play On! 65

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

21.

PLAY IS A UNIVERSAL GIFT OF NATURE IN TIMES OF CHALLENGE AND STRESS I find it a remarkable opportunity to share some of the wonderment and substantive information that has come my way as I delve deeply into the promises and power of play.

This play exploration has continued to provide

in our lives, however did not mean that our play

me with an urgency to communicate more

natures were suppressed by it, it just meant we

about play, reinforced from the many recent

had to be more innovative in seeing to it that we

play discoveries that demonstrate its benefit in

prioritized play experiences, and tapped into this

our personal and communal well-being. Play

universally available resource to better cope with

can improve our lives, and in times of stress, the

our changed world situation.

more subtle avenues for each of us to access our natural play instincts offers benefits we otherwise might miss.

Remember, our essential design is two-fold.

We are all unique individuals and we are also collectively members of a highly social species,

This article will focus initially on “the big picture”

like none other. Despite the fact that we possess

of play, why, despite many influences that

qualities that allow our unique individualities to

can suppress or diminish its significance, it

prosper, (and which play enriches) we still find

nonetheless persists as an important intrinsic

ourselves with overall social needs to interact

component of human nature, worldwide. In

regularly and find ways to get along supportively

addition, after offering some historic perspective-

and interdependently with our friends, relatives,

providing about play and human nature, I will add

neighbors, community and beyond.

some suggestions that may enable anyone to implement it more effectively individually during these times of great challenge.

The evidence from play science demonstrates, also, that we all, children and adults, have untapped play-based resources that are there

Our lives and those of our children were certainly

for us to access, which exist in us despite the

affected by the pandemic, its forced stark

many ongoing difficult circumstances. These

community changes, its economic realities,

play reservoirs and which have been provided for

along with the personal daily mental, physical,

us by nature have persisted through past difficult

emotional and ecologic challenges it produced.

and varied historic situations. (famines, diseases,

We adults, in our individual ways, embraced it

natural disasters, political upheavals, wars,

as did our children, who are acutely sensitive

etc.) By embracing them, they keep us upbeat,

to the surrounding emotions and dislocations it

positive, and resilient. When examining the lives

produced. For most of us, this meant less access

of non-players, comparing them to play-fulfilled

to our usual play resources. (playgrounds closed,

individuals, research has been able to show how

visitation to beloved relatives stopped, etc.). That

play itself contributes to getting along better with

obligatory and necessary “organizing” element

ourselves, (play as a good anti-depressant) and

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21. PLAY IS A UNIVERSAL GIFT OF NATURE IN TIMES OF CHALLENGE AND STRESS

certainly provides the tools to better get along

A scholarly look at human history allows play

non-violently, cooperatively and innovatively

to be viewed in context with its shaping of how

with each other.

we as hunter-gatherers survived in the past.

Play is not generally seen as being this foundational for living in a changing, challenging world, but

This long but accurate view allows us to keep it applicable to our overall well being NOW.

it is a necessary ingredient for individual and

When we look deeply at our pre-historic human

communal balance. Beyond enabling us to better

heritage from before the agricultural era which

deal with individual and social requirements,

was established some 10,000 years ago, (our

it provides us with adaptive flexibilities, and

paleo-anthropologic past) the views by those

openness to explore the unexpected. So, the

who have done so exhaustively, (Peter Gray,

wisdom of play is particularly needed to help us

for example,) are that they see many of our

cope with life’s challenges, the pandemic, and our

forbearers as predominantly living communally

polarized society. Thank goodness… It still is fun

as small foraging and hunting Nomadic tribes for

and rejuvenating to play.

at least 200,000 years, and likely much longer.

How we react, adapt to the unexpected, handle challenges, are resilient (or collapse) while stressed, of course varies immensely with our life circumstances. But like breathing air, eating, sleeping,

reproducing,

grieving

the

dead,

seeking care and shelter, there are basics that we all share that are fundamental components worldwide. Play is there to prepare us to better live our two-fold lives, but the prevailing way of seeing play is that it is necessary for kids, but very elective for responsible adults

Though there are many variations in locale and gathering or hunting ecologies, nonetheless, we are still biologically grounded in our current bodies and psyches still with the residual physiologic foundations largely long established when we were Hunter-Gatherers. Of course we then and now have been influenced by our varied surroundings and cultural heritages, and now as a majority, we are enveloped in urban living and worldwide burgeoning technology.

This majority reality can make it tough to access our basic nature. And despite all us human beings

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THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

also possessing the genetic propensities for

triggers our play capacities and universal needs

competition and violence, and having capacities

to bring more life enhancing play into our

to live virtually anywhere on earth, somehow

contemporary lives. The closure of playgrounds

these long surviving Hunter-Gatherer tribes, and

and other playful recreation amenities, along

the few remnant examples that still exist today,

with the restrictions on group play that we lived

were able to not only survive, but to do so with

in through the pandemic, placed limits on easy

communal sharing and egalitarian governance

play access, but it does not mean we are any less

for many eons more than our post-agricultural

playful.

city-state civilizations, most of which have ended

A means of keeping play’s presence more alive

or transitioned to new ways of living.

is to find our own “Play Personalities.” I hope

The conclusions by such scholars as Peter Gray

each reader of this article recognizes within

are that play itself has been a positive force

themselves that they have their own individual

to sustain this egalitarianism. My own early

“Play Personality” and that it is also an intrinsic

research on homicidal males who, we discovered

aspect of their children, spouses, relatives and

had severe lifelong play deficits upholds in

friends.

modern terms these conclusions that fostering

Are you or those you know finding quick joy

the playful side of human nature promotes

by being… Explorers? Directors? Collectors?

non-violent pro-social behavior. The beneficent

Competitors? Artists? It is likely your own best

legacy of life after life examined to assess the

talents connect with your Play Personality.

effects of sufficient play or its absence provides

By

recognizing this, the playful heritage that got

up to date credible backing for the importance

embedded in all of us through our long hunter-

of including play now in one’s life from birth to

gatherer era of existence will get activated, and

death. As previously noted, our dual natures,

this has great personal and societal benefit.

individual and communal, are sustained in part by the inclusion of play.

My research also demonstrates that severe play

This insight about the importance of play itself is shared by PlayCore. So here is where the

deprivation, particularly during childhood years of rapid development, has consequences that make harmonious communal cooperation difficult.

skillful bringing of play opportunities by PlayCore

So understanding our play heritage as well as recognizing how necessary it is to activate it regularly (see the article on play vaccination) allows us to see play for what it is, but better yet, make personalized play a life necessity for ourselves and those we love.

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22.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND... DOG PARKS It is a winter sunrise morning, and Cookie, a 50 lb. female elegant ebony-haired mutt discovered a year ago at the local SPCA, and now a secure resident in my homestead, has just scratched on my home-office door, and with sparkling eyes wants to say good morning.

I open the door to licks and half-jumps, a few

Humans and dogs have been inseparable for

vocal squeaks, a quick romp around the office,

eons. Evidence of mutual involvement has been

and my day starts off with a glow she has

documented for over 33,000 years, with mutual

provided. The neuroscientist in me says, “she

burials dated for at least 15,000 years. No

must have sparked the release of my latently

surprises here. Despite the obvious evidence

sequestered brain-harbored oxytocin!” Whatever

of our being differing species, we humans and

has happened, it is so good to have this dog, and

dogs do love and care for each other and have

share our companionship.

since prehistory.

Whenever I have the opportunity to write for

In reviewing the existing PlayCore material

PlayCore, and ponder what aspects of play

available through its web site, I find the

and play science to emphasize, I find myself

well-researched

enlivened by the breadth of play applications

describing optimum conditions for planning

that are so practically addressed and expanded

and designing leash-free dog parks, with some

though its manifold corporate endeavors. So, it is

of the following emphases on their value.

“Unleashed,” a publication

because that not only do I obviously have a soft spot for the whole gamut of human-dog play, but I know that the dog park element is an important

The value of dog parks

and growing PlayCore focus.

Health and well-being benefits

By looking broadly at the intricate, long and varied human-dog attachment history, such

Social and community benefits

an endeavor evokes deeper appreciation for our unique bonding with them. This historic perspective,

combined

with

some

Choosing a location

current

Dog-friendly settings

neuroscience explanations allows even greater appreciation for the special experiences our

Promoting usage

dogs provide for so many of us. Dog parks offer, particularly in congested urban settings,

Building a dog park

the opportunities to play and bond – all to the

Marketing and programming your dog park

betterment of the dogs and owners.

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22. THE SCIENCE BEHIND... DOG PARKS

So it is evident that PlayCore has recognized

owner or serious dog aberrations.

dog parks’ importance, and is committed to their

One observation that has been commented on

being well-positioned, designed, and used. But my focus here is to promote and provide a deeper and greater understanding of the nature and the

repeatedly is the problem of well-meaning but naive owners unfamiliar with the exuberance and intensity of normal rough and tumble, rather wild

benefits of play. My experience is geared toward

unfettered play, not recognized as a normal dog

understanding and promoting the boisterous

response to open unleashed play opportunities.

joyful outcome of most dog parks, which is often

This lack of recognition of the difference between

the result of unfettered dog-dog and human-

serious aggression and the pseudo aggression of

dog play which good parks foster and promote.

rough and tumble play results in many owners

The existing writings about dog parks do not allow

preventing their pups from freely engaging in this

easy generalizations about them, as they differ in

normal dog pastime. My dear friend Marc Bekoff,

size, congestion, and codes of owner and dog

dog play expert extraordinaire, (I filmed him with

behaviors, but some well-studied parks provided

his dog, Jethro for the National Geographic 28

solid data and useful conclusions. Of the many

years ago) now emeritus professor of Colorado

dog-dog interactions, one study has shown in

U., is a real authority on dog (and animal) play.

more than 1000, less than 2% involve aggression.

For those of you with a scholarly bent, he can be

And even in these unfortunate circumstances, of

googled and his writings on dog parks and his

the 2%, injuries are very, very rare. So the common

books and writings about animal play behaviors

(wrong) impression of serious aggression being

and more provide in-depth well written material

a part of dog park norms is just not accurate.

that will take you beyond this article.

Other larger studies of dog-dog interactions

But in order to better define some elements of

report predominantly positive outcomes, for

dog play and differentiate them from non-play,

both the dogs and the increased socialization

we provide the following descriptions.

among owners, with trends over the years of observation toward better and better dog and

When two or more dogs unfamiliar with each

owner behaviors, despite reports of owner over

other meet, often the butt sniffing exploratory

control, bully dogs and the occasional difficult

hello is off-putting for some owners. However,

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THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

my experience in unleashed situations is that the

For those readers who have not pondered the

mutual tail wag provides entrée to the endeavor

intricacies of dogs at play, and in particular in

- becoming a quick offer to miss the butt sniffing

order for the contagion of dog play to reach the

preliminaries and get right to the full on rough

emotions of dog owners/observers, here are

and tumble romp. Some instances precede the

some descriptions of the play “states” that dogs

play with a formal play bow. Others (like Cookie)

exhibit, and which may provide a guide at least

get flat on bellies with legs extended until a

to the deep instinctive forces that so beautifully

mutual play signal is passed and the rough and

emerge in spontaneous doggie play.

tumble chase and escape wild melee is mutually

Anticipation of play - gives the dogs and us a shot of dopamine

agreed upon often from 10 feet or more distance.

But it is fun to note that many other play signals get passed continuously during this highly

Surprise - likely a bit of nor adrenaline to prime new brain circuits

intricate form of play. Usually each dog involved has a continuous “play face” during the episode…. an open mouthed, lips covering the majority of

Pleasure - likely the surge of endocannabinoids that keep the play state going

the teeth almost smiling, tongue often protruded invitation to keep the romp going. And romp it is… paw slapping, play biting (not hard enough to

Understanding - likely the rough and tumble play activates latent cortical genes that opens up new circuits in the cortex

hurt). If aggression is the intent, one or both of the invitees will show fangs, lips retracted, growling obvious that this is not to be play. Usually if one or both or more dogs are involved, and the

Strength - the exuberant exercise adds muscle, agility, etc.

signals are mixed, that is, not all have agreed to play, the group breaks up without a big fight or

Poise - current research lends me to believe the neurotransmitter or gene activation prompts this one, but likely it is cerebro-cerebellar circuit enhancement from the multiple movements, social intricacy, etc. inherent in rough and tumble play

without the mutual agreement that playground rules (no aggression) is the order of the day, and agreed upon.

In over 15 years of off-leash encounters at the Carmel Beach, I have yet to see or hear of a serious fight, and my visits constitute hundreds of strangers and all sizes and breeds of dog-

In closing, what is of particular fun for me is to

dog and dog-human boisterous interactions.

find that the contagion of play when I experience

Certainly a few very particular owners prevent

it full on in dog-dog play has a mood and body-

open play, but they are the exceptions.

altering effect just from watching it! And this is true for all of us. Having a down day?

Take your dog to a dog park, and inhale the pure freedom of their play as nature has dictated!

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23.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND INTERGENERATIONAL PLAY As PlayCore readers who follow my writings have already noted, I am a fan of uniting the deeply embedded human play nature which we all possess with those influences and life opportunities that set in motion this wonderful component of our human spirit.

And my focus has been and will continue to be on

A reminder… “ we are built to play, and built by

the “science” that supports Real Play and bringing

play,” and we all are fundamentally members

the science and practices that promote play into

of a playful, social species. As you know from

the lives of all ages more fully. So it is continual

previous blogs, we share these basic collective

fun and inspiration for me to realize that PlayCore

characteristics with many of our animal cousins,

and its range of products and programs are in

and in research settings which measure the effects

sync with the broad reach of play science as it

of play or the consequences of its elimination in

can now be demonstrated. This makes PlayCore

the lives of animals, they find that the results of the

a company like none other. So this entry will

latter are devastating!

continue this emphasis, and will provide a focus

The outcomes of such controlled laboratory

on the importance of MIXED AGE PLAY.

observations, accomplished in depth with colonies

I was fortunate to have an older brother who

of rats by Jaak Panksepp and Sergio Pellis, show

allowed me to join his pals in sand lot games

the value of not only play itself, but of the learning

and free play that characterized after school and

that it requires play to inculcate cooperation and

weekends during my elementary school years.

tolerance of other complexities in pack behavior.

Looking back now through decades of play

Play deprived rats just cannot get along with each

research that I have enjoyed, the time spent in

other, mate normally, or handle aggression. Play is

my formative years with multiple opportunities

clearly necessary for this species to survive. There

for play with older boys shaped my sense of who I

is much we can learn from this scientific evidence.

have become, and gave me the annealing lessons

We humans are, of course a very different

that mixed age play produces. It also allows me

species, but our in-depth brain circuits and

to validate its importance for life as kids as well as

neurotransmitters that govern the motivation

providing us with a template for later adulthood.

to care and get along with each other and play

So I come at this subject with both the early

together are very similar.

experiential assurance of its value, supplemented by the in-depth scholarship and research that my

From these objective animal play lab findings, the

own research and the substantive science based

effects of play adequacy or deprivation on a wide

data that many play pioneers have provided.

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23. THE SCIENCE BEHIND INTERGENERATIONAL PLAY - VOLUME I

variety of animal behaviors, such as pack

a large matched cohort) and how different were

belonging, maze learning (memorization), brain

the lives of the “play adequate” comparison

size, adaptation to stress, etc. the accumulated

populations. These and other associated findings

data from animal play researchers is quantitative

led our research staff to conclude that “belonging”

and useful for extending its findings to a wide

and being morally connected to a community

variety of similar human situations. Their life

requires adequate complex play experiences.

work and that of other animal play scholars and

Particularly for young

researchers grounds play science, and has, along

found that safe gradually more complex rough

with a growing body of human play data, helped

and tumble play appeared to provide the social

play science to emerge as a new coherent and

learning and empathy awareness necessary to

important discipline.

modify harmful aggressive behavior.

Additionally, devastating human circumstances

So just as animals need complex playful social

such as the tragic effects of early social deprivation

interactions to function communally, it’s not

in the past, such as the well reported results from

too great a stretch to assume that we, too as a

the stark (Ceausescu era) Romanian orphan

playful social species, also need complex play

nurseries is tragic, and the long term follow

experiences to “belong” and have empathy for

up of these children tragically demonstrates

our fellow playful associates. Yes, I believe the

the devastation of their early deprivations.

animal and clinical human data demonstrates

Fortunately, by heartening contrast, other socially

that it is profoundly necessary for humans to

rich orphan nurseries, in particular the Pikler post

engage early on in progressively more complex

WWII Hungarian nurseries provide substance

social play as a shared solid developmental social

for the value of warm relationships and playful

neurobiological need.

opportunities that characterized the Pikler settings.

homicidal males, we

So, let us affirm here again that experiencing

Long term follow-up of these Pikler orphan

early and continuing multiage social playful

“graduates” reveals the life fulfilling and competent

experiences are foundational elements for us all

life adjustments that resulted from otherwise

to activate and understand as being essential for

high risk orphan children, and demonstrates the

fulfilled competent living.

rewarding positive long-term effects that this nourishing and multiage highly playful settings produced. So it is evident from animal and many human situations that developing complex social species, ours included, require early multiple

The pandemic’s isolation and its effects on child mental and physical health is evident. However, the need for lifelong play, the value of early mixed aged play, and yes, play beyond childhood is

contact social play enrichment for the essentials

emerging as important doctrines that play science

of healthy social normalcy to develop.

is confirming.

In linking these animal and varied human

Future blogs will continue to affirm the benefits of

observations, I am reminded of conclusions from

mixed age play as an antidote to adult burn-out,

my own research that allows play deprivation to be identified as correlated with serious criminal

and offer gateways to more fulfilling lives.

behavior. What we discovered is how serious

Those who have had the pleasure of studying

early and continuing play deprivation had been

child

in shaping, or lacking to shape competency and

the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social

the ability to handle aggression into the lives of

benefits of play.

incarcerated homicidal males (compared with

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development,

know

and

appreciate

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

Mixed age play for kids is nature’s way of preparing them for more complex group living.

Now we can combine these positive aspects of early play with scientific evidence of how harmful play deprivation is to our species, at any age.

“

By understanding more about play, for you, your community, your children or grandchildren, you will gain fresh vitality.

Adults do not need to forsake their responsibilities to enjoy the lifeenhancing benefits of play.

- Dr. Stuart Brown

”

The

SCIENCE of Play

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