Play Is an Important Skill and Critical Part of Creativity and Life

Adults are afraid to play.

When we are kids, we play without reservation or judgment. It is a natural part of how we both interact with the world and learn. Yet, adults are afraid to play.

So what is play? “Play may be described as a spontaneous, creative, desired research activity carried out for its own sake,” according to N. V. Scarfe, in the journal “Childhood Education” published in an article titled “Play is Education.

“Children at play are totally spontaneous. They are not trying to avoid making mistakes. They don’t observe rules.“ — John Cleese

Play is one of the primary ways that children learn. As we become adults and get older, we begin to worry about what our peers think of us and the opinions of others. As a result, we begin to play less and less.

“The drive to play is as fundamental as our drives for food and sleep.”
— Dr. Stuart Brown

Stuart Brown is the founder of the National Institute for Play. He studies play and its positive effects on adults. He wrote a book, Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. His organization and book emphasize the importance of play. In his book, he says, “In play, we can imagine and experience situations…