This article was drawn from the National Institute of Play.

The reason that we, a mental health treatment practice, are promoting play for both children and adults is that it is a superb tool to keep our brains flexible, ward off depression, sustain optimism and sharpen our social-emotional skills.

Bottom-line is that play is form of self-care. Let’s learn a bit more about it. 

Why We Play

The National Institute of Play stresses that the drive to play is built into our biology. 

• The “play circuits” in our brains create our “play nature” — the preferences we have for particular types of play. 
• Our individual play nature is as unique as our fingerprints. 

 (1) Ask yourself one or more of these questions to help you get in touch your play nature: What do you do when you are free to do what you choose. What provided you with enjoyment at an early age? What activities, objects or situations create engaging /satisfying experiences for you?

(2) With answers to these questions in mind, review the 8 play personalities (as identified by Dr. Stuart Brown) below. Which jumps out as your dominant type?  What other play personalities are you a blend of? 

• The Collector: The thrill of play for the collector is to have and to hold an interesting collection of objects or experiences. Collectors may enjoy collecting as a solitary activity, or it may be the focus of an intense social connection with others who share their passion.
• The Competitor: Competitors access the euphoria and creativity of play by participating in a competitive game with specific rules. Competitors aren’t playing just for the game; they are playing to win. 
• The Creator/Artist: For the creator/artist, joy is found in making things. The point is to make something beautiful, functional, goofy, etc. or to make something work.
• The Director: Directors play by planning; they enjoy planning and executing scenes and events. They are born organizers. 
• The Explorer: For explorers, exploration becomes their path to a play state — their way of provoking the imagination. 
• The Joker: The most basic and extreme player throughout history is the joker. A joker’s play always revolves around some kind of foolishness. 
• The Kinesthete: Kinesthetes are people who like to move; some even need to move in order to think. They want to push their bodies and feel the result. 
• The Storyteller: For the storyteller, imagination is the key to the joy of play. Storytellers feel engaged in stories, and experience the thoughts and emotions of characters in the story. 

(3) Then consider how to make time and space in your life for the activities that energize your play personality and create a sense of playfulness for you.

For more on the fascinating world of play, please go to the National Institute of Play.