Wisdom in Play

April Fool’s can bring out the child in us. Here’s a few words in support of unleashing our inner child, and an invitation to go forth and play!

“Work, eat, sleep. Rinse and Repeat”.

As adults, how often do we feel our lives mired in the banality of everyday responsibilities, preoccupied with what we think we should be doing? And as children, how often have we heard the phrase “grow up” thrown in response to what was scorned as naughty and unrestrained behaviour? Society and mandatory schooling can press upon us the need to be responsible and straight-laced, and in the process increasingly self-critical and self-policing.

We can all however relate to how contagious it is to hear the laughter and uninhibited squeals of children playing, how liberating it has been when we’ve had such moments of unrestraint ourselves. In Schema Therapy, the Happy Child mode is equally important as the Healthy Adult in developing balanced wellbeing.

Play helps us to learn with greater ease; it stimulates creative thinking, drives motivation, improves memory and facilitates the building of social connections. Science has found that endorphins are released through moments of play, as well as promoting growth in the cerebral cortex, the part of our brains most needed for complex cognitive functions.

Boston College psychology researcher, Dr Peter Gray found himself a fun niche in the research field, investigating children's play and its educative value. Through his research, he found that there are five dimensions which makes play playful.

He found that there is a sense of freedom that marks play as play. If there is coercion, the unrestrained nature of the moment becomes stifled.

The second dimension of play is that it is self-directed, meaning that while play is defined by the individuals themselves, the act of play is guided by a creative set of rules. Play involves a balance between freedom and limits, and without boundaries, the moment loses its excitement and opportunity for creativity. Like life itself, without containment, moments of energy can feel too untethered.

The third facet of playfulness is imagination. Imagination allows us to transcend what we know. It allows us to engage in fantasies, and to find breakthroughs in everyday problems. Did you know that the modern day computer has its origins in the music boxes and automatons from the 1700s? Jacques de Vaucanson imagined the novelty of a musical invention that could play by itself, which would eventually find its way into the idea behind today’s computers. Who would have thought that playthings for the Parisian elite would influence our modern lives so much. Imaginative play can give rise to amazing wonders indeed!

The fourth feature of play is that it is it is intrinsically motivated, meaning that the process of playing is in itself rewarding, rather than being motivated by the outcomes that can achieved. Play can indeed lead to incredible inventions and creations, but if play was conducted with the goal of achievement, the play itself would lose its quality as being playful.

The fifth aspect of play is that it is completely absorbing, completely present. When we’re in moments of play, we’re alert and active. There are no worries about failure or sanction, there are no distractions from the moment itself. In the vein of mindfulness, playful moments of delight supports mental wellbeing.

The wisdom in play has found it passed through to various different domains. In the business sphere, gamification has been found to increase motivation and drive. In sports, play has found itself into into games that unite people. In our personal lives, play allows us to feel alive.

Through making space for play - be it through moments through the day or through a consistent thread through everyday life - you will find more joy, contentment, creativity, connection and aliveness. Think back to when you were a child, what did you enjoy playing? Most likely, what you found invigorating and playful as a child will spark your inner child now. In the busy-ness of adult responsibilities, who knows what play can bring us!