The Science of Play™

Advocacy & Impact Tools

The Science of Play™

Dog Parks Inclusion Nature Play Outdoor Music Intergenerational Play & Recreation Youth Physical Fitness

Think of a world without play... no belly laughter, or joyful smiles and nonsense baby-talk between babies and mothers, no games, from hide and seek to chess, no light-hearted flirtation, no reason to carve out space for playgrounds, no wagging tail puppies who delight everyone... you get the picture, and then, when you get serious about it and look closely and systematically at lives deprived of play, the dire consequences of a lack of play become painfully evident.

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

A new science of play and its effect on the brain has emerged from the explosion of information emerging from the social, psychological, behavioral, and biological sciences. For children and adults, play strengthens the mind and the body, straightening the path toward social competency, emotional stability, physical capability, and success.

The Science

Play is an essential health tool throughout our life. Think of a world without play... no belly laughter, joyful smiles and nonsense baby-talk between babies and mothers, no games, no relief from the day to day stresses we all carry no matter our age and you begin to understand the effects of play deprivation and its dire consequences. A growing body of evidence, spanning biology, neuroscience and developmental psychology, has confirmed the importance of play as both a critical part of childhood development and a means for adults to connect with others and promote mental/physical health, creativity, and human interaction. For both children and adults, play strengthens the mind and the body, straightening the path toward social competency, emotional stability, physical capability, and success. Play is so fundamental that neglecting it poses a significant health risk. For those seeking additional education on the value of play, whether for their own knowledge, or to advocate for new and renovated play spaces, the Science of Play is a valuable resource.

Why request the Science of Play?

Learn from world-renowned play scholar, and our dear friend Dr. Stuart Brown, why we must advocate for play and play spaces. Dr. Brown delves into the science of play, its effect on the brain, and the important information emerging from the social, psychological, behavioral, and biological sciences. Recognizing that play is “the work of the child” but its importance is not unique to children, Dr. Brown, through a series of articles, explains how play helps shape who we are, helps us navigate the world, and promotes a sense of well-being. The book is full of citable material you can use to build advocacy, strengthen grant applications, and increase support for play spaces for people of all ages.