The serious subject of play

‘Play’ is sometimes dismissed as a childish subject and of diminishing significance in adulthood.

For many, the word conjures up an enjoyable but ultimately frivolous activity such as mucking about on the beach or a family board game. Many might think that play has its time and place when we’re on holiday, say, but as we get older it should be indulged in with much less frequency.

This stance is unsurprising. Although most of us were encouraged to follow our instincts to play as younger children (developing vital social, emotional, cognitive and physical skills in the process), we may have suppressed these instincts after adolescence. Society suggests that play is something to relinquish as we mature into adulthood, and we prepare ourselves for the serious world of work.

But there have been some influential voices in recent years challenging this unhelpful folklore: Ken Robinson’s rich legacy included the message that play should underpin our education institutions; the bestselling author Daniel H Pink also champions play and its direct link to creativity in business; the scientist Stuart Brown founded the nonprofit National Institute for Play; and further back, such a brain as Albert Einstein directly acknowledged play’s role in his success and encouraged others to follow his lead and embrace their childlike qualities.

I will often question my coachees around whether they make time for play and many neglect this aspect of their lives. It is easy to fall into a pattern of prioritising the urgent rather than the important. I find that most of us would benefit from deliberately upping the frequency and intensity of play and even scheduling playtime if necessary.

Playtime is not only natural to us; it is essential for us.

Play is an effective antidote to stress and promotes good health; it helps us learn, problem-solve and broaden our possibilities; and it is the foundation of effective learning at any age.