Sense of Play
Kilbourne, Movement Science, Grand Valley State University
the past several years there has been a renewed interest in
the meaning and importance of play. Play has been featured
in the New York Times Magazine, Taking
Play Seriously, and in two fairly recent books, Stuart
How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates
(2009), and Bateson's and Martin's Play,
Playfulness, Creativity and Innovation (2013).
As part of my doctoral program in the early 1990s at The
Ohio State University (Building
a Bridge Between Athletics and Academics), I was
fortunate to study the importance of play and many of the
early play theorists. These included the 18th Century educator
Jean Jacques Rousseau who in Emile wrote about the importance
of play for children.
with the idea that children should be outdoors and active.
In so doing, the child would develop his senses through
his experiences. The senses would then provide the background
against which ideas took shape. By moving and touching everything,
seeing, and hearing, tasting and smelling, the child would
begin to associate the objects of the external world with
the five senses (Mechikoff, 2010, p. 160).
Later the Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky suggested that
play was, "...a critical part of childhood, allowing a child,
as he said in one oft-repeated quote, to stand 'a head taller
than himself'" (Bartlett, 2011, p. B6).
Following Vygotsky, the preeminent play theorist Johan Huizinga
(1950) described the characteristics of play in his noteworthy
Summing up the formal characteristics of play we might
call it a free activity standing quite consciously outside
"ordinary" life as being "not serious," but at the same
time absorbing the player intensely and utterly. It is an
activity connected with no material interest, and no profit
can be gained by it. It proceeds within its own proper boundaries
of time and space according to fixed rules and in an orderly
manner. It promotes the formation of social groupings, which
tend to surround themselves with secrecy and to stress their
difference from the common world by disguise or other means
(Huizinga, 1950, p. 13).
Adding to the work of Huizinga was Roger Caillois (1961)
who in Man,
Play and Games, identifies the following six characteristics
of play (p. 128):
- Free: in which play is not obligatory; if it
were, it would at once lose its attractive and joyous quality
- Separate: circumscribed
within limits of space and time, defined and fixed in advance;
- Uncertain: the course
of which cannot be determined nor the result attained beforehand,
and some latitude for innovations being left to the player’s
- Unproductive: creating
neither goods, nor wealth, nor new elements of any kind;
and, except for the exchange of property among the players,
ending in a situation identical to that prevailing at the
beginning of the game.
- Governed by rules: under
conventions that suspend ordinary laws, and for the moment
establish new legistlation, which alone counts;
- Make believe: accompanied
by a special awareness of a second reality or of a free
unreality, as against real life.
More recently, Stuart Brown (2009) who has chronicled more
than six thousand patient play histories, affirmed the importance
of play in his book, Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens
the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. He lists the
following seven "Properties of Play" (p. 16):
- Apparently purposeless (done for its own sake)
- Inherent attraction
- Freedom from time
- Diminished consciousness of self
- Improvisational potential
- Continuation desire
And just last year, Bateson and Martin (2013) introduced
their pivotal book, Play, Playfulness, Creativity, and
Innovation in which they discuss the biology, functions,
and evolution of play. They describe five characteristics
of play (p. 2):
- The behavior is spontaneous and rewarding to the individual.
- It is intrinsically motivated
and its performance is a goal in itself.
- The behavior occurs in a protected
context when the play is neither ill nor stressed.
- The behavior is incomplete or
exaggerated relative to non-playful behavior in adults.
- It is performed repeatedly.
As informative as all of these writers have been, they seem
to me to fall short when it comes to acknowledging the essence
of play and its importance in child and adult development.
This "essence" was actually brought to life by our daughter
Zoé, who when she was just three years old helped to
clarify my understanding about the meaning and importance
of play. At this time, more than twenty years ago, I was studying
play and play theory at The Ohio State University.
Witnessing Zoé's play brought to life for me the writings
of the play theorists. What follows, is one of her early play
journeys and an exploration of the many important lessons
she and I learned. My hope is that by sharing her story others
may be motivated to make their lives and teaching experiences
more playful. Attempting to stay within the spirit of play
her story is shared as a conversation Zoé and I had
several years after the actual event.
Zoé - Dad, remember the time I went
down that big slide
in Columbus, Ohio? Remember that boy who I played with? Can
you tell me that story again?
Daddy - Yes, I remember. The slide
story is important because your play with the young boy
and the slide helped your dad understand the many wonders
of play. Your simple lesson taught me to appreciate how important
play is to our life.
Zoé - Remember that little boy dad?
He was pretty silly wasn't he? How old was he?
Daddy - You are probably about his age now,
7 years old. I wonder if he still lives in Columbus and still
goes to that park. I am so thankful to you and that little
boy for sharing with me the essence of play.
(I've listed The Wonders or Characteristics of Play here as a prelude to their discussion in our conversation. The ten wonders come from the literature and many experiences I've had with and about play.)
One - Play involves movement of the bodily
Two - Play is a voluntary activity (free).
Three - Play involves risk.
Four - Play involves imitation of other humans
and the environment.
Five - Play involves pretending (make believe).
Six - Play involves bonding between other
humans and the environment.
Seven - Play involves alternation and change.
Eight - The product of play is only play
(play is not done for profit or material gain).
Nine - Play involves a solution or resolution.
And, despite what outsiders might think or say, to the participants.
Ten - Play is a very serious activity.
Daddy - We were living in Columbus, Ohio
while Daddy was working on his doctorate at The Ohio State
University. One day when I had a morning free, you and I went
across the street from where we lived to play in the Park
of Roses. It was a beautiful fall morning.
Zoé - Yes, I remember. We lived
in that tiny apartment and Cindy lived across the hall from
us. Doesn't Cindy live in Puerto Rico now?
Daddy - Yes, and she has a young brother.
What was his name?
Zoé - I don't remember. It was a
funny name. Maybe Alvin?
Daddy - I don't remember either. While at
the park you noticed a young boy, 6 or 7 years old, climbing-up
and swishing down a giant slide that stood in the corner of
the park. You ran quickly (movement) over to the tall slide.
This was the first time your dad had ever seen you go near
this particular slide (voluntary).
At first you stood very patiently next to the slide and watched
the young boy climb up the ladder and swish down the slide.
Shortly thereafter you walked over to the tall ladder and
slowly began to climb towards the top (risk). I quickly ran
over to the slide when I realized that you were actually going
to climb to the top of the ladder. Only being three years
old, I wanted to make sure that you did not stumble or fall.
I remained quietly behind the ladder as you made your way
to the top. When you reached the top, you sat your small body
down and waited on the landing, thinking about your next move.
You had sensed the young boy's action on the slide and seemed
ready to copy his feat (imitation). Carefully, you nudged
yourself away from the landing and swished down the slippery
slope. What do you think your face looked like as you gathered
your thoughts at the bottom of the slide? Can you show me?
Zoé - Was I happy?
Daddy - Yes! Do you remember that moment?
Can you show me?
Zoé - No! (Zoe smiles and chuckles).
Daddy - See! You do remember. As you stood
on the ground near the bottom of the slide your face was filled
with happiness and joy. You had accomplished something that
you had never done before. For a brief moment you were a different
person who would never be the same because a new dimension
had just been added to your being (pretending). And this,
your first journey with your new friends, the little boy and
the slide, was just the beginning (bonding with another human
being and the environment).
Zoé - Then what did the little boy
do? Tell me that part.
Daddy - After watching your first triumph,
a friendship developed without even talking. Your new friend
went back to the ladder and climbed to the top again (alternation).
At the top, he turned his body over onto his stomach and swished
down the slide on his tummy. Seeing this new method of going
down the slide, you proceeded to climb the ladder again.
I again remained behind the ladder to insure your safety.
When you reached the top you, like your new friend, turned
yourself over onto your tummy (change). This intricate position
took some slick maneuvering on your part. Laying on your tummy
you carefully pushed yourself away from the safety of the
landing and swished down the slippery slide a second time.
When you arrived at the bottom your face was once again glowing
Zoé - Then what did the little boy
Daddy - Be patient. I'll tell you. After
the tummy slide, your new friend scurried up the ladder a
third time and rested on the landing. Without any talking
between the two of you, you climbed the ladder and sat down
behind the young boy. He waited patiently as you adjusted
your legs near his body. How you knew what to do is one of
the many mysteries of play. Once in place, the two of you
went down the slide together. When you reached the bottom
of the slide both of you were filled with a sense of delight.
You smiled at each other and acknowledged your success. The
young boy then ran away to another area of the park while
you stood and thought about your accomplishments (resolution).
Zoé - I wish I could go down a big
slide like that again. Isn't there a slide like the one in
Columbus in the park by Cranberry World? Maybe we can go there
Witnessing the events on that beautiful fall morning in the
Park of Roses provided me with an awakening of sorts. Thanks
to Zoé and the young boy I was simultaneously able
to make sense out of the wonders of play. I had witnessed
movement, free activity, risk, imitation, pretending, bonding,
alternation, change, and resolution. Moreover, I had seen
two young children who were engaged in what was to them a
very serious activity.
Zoé's play with the young boy on the slide taught
her that she could challenge herself and be triumphant. She
gained an understanding and an adoration for her physical
capabilities. She also gained an appreciation and a respect
for learning about and from other human beings and the world
around her. There were no extraneous agendas or strings attached
(no profit or material benefits).
The wonders of play were Zoé's path to knowledge and
experience about herself and her world. Like Zoé, every
one of us has acquired wisdom through the wonders of play.
We have created and recreated our world with play.
Play is overflowing with intrinsic rewards. I've already discussed some of these rewards. For example, there are the intrinsic rewards gained when humans experience their bodies being physical. There's the importance of bonding with other humans. Play's other intrinsic rewards include freedom, learning to take risks, learning through imitation, learning to bond with the environment, learning to alternate and change, and learning about resolution.
Learning about freedom (voluntary activity) is a special
intrinsic reward from our participation in play. We are free
to choose to play or free to choose not to play. Our bodily
beings are unconstrained. This freedom although brief, teaches
humans that they can be self-governing and independent beings.
When you combine this reward with the previously mentioned
reward of working cooperatively with other human beings (bonding)
you have the essential ingredients for an emancipated and
democratic society. Play can be a model for a free and cooperative
Learning to take risks is another intrinsic reward we receive
from participating in play. Risks are simply anything that
frightens us. Through play we learn to take risks and in so
doing we overcome our fears. Zoé's mastery of the giant
slide is an excellent example of how play provides opportunities
for humans to overcome their fears. Moreover our successes
in and through play inspire us to risk again. Slowly, play's
process of fear and mastery pushes us forward.
Still another notable play reward is imitation: Through imitation
we learn. We observe other humans and our environment, and
copy the movement, language, personality, and energy. We have
learned what to be from copying. We have become someone or
something else (pretending). Social psychologists call this
phenomenon "Social Learning Theory." At the root of this theory
is the wonder of play.
Because play can be a rehearsal of things to come it is important
that the imitative and pretending experiences be moral and
wholesome. If human beings imitate too many immoral or unwholesome
experiences, they may be rehearsing for a life filled with
decadence and despair. We must realize that through play people
are listening, people are seeing, and people are learning.
Bonding with the environment is yet another reward we receive
from playing. Play provides the means for humans to establish
relationships between themselves and the environment. The
environmental playground is our classroom. This is the arena
where we learn respect and an appreciation for the world around
us. Through play, participants learn to treasure fresh air,
sparkling water, beautiful skies, and other living things.
Although often overlooked, this connection is extremely important.
It provides human beings with opportunities to respect, appreciate,
and therefore preserve the grandeur of our environmental playground.
In creating and maintaining positive relationships in our
environmental playground we are forced to learn about alternation
Alternation and change are two of play's finest rewards.
Alternation teaches us important lessons about sharing and
helps us to expand our feelings towards other human beings
and the environment. Alternation is facilitated by our openness
to accept change. To alternate we must be willing to add to,
or delete from our thoughts, ideas, principles, habits, and
customs. The wonder of play provides an infinite array of
opportunities for us to learn about and practice both alternation
Another reward we receive from our participation in play
is that eventually it will play-out. In other words there
will always be a solution or resolution. The resolutions from
play could be as simple as Zoé's radiance after her
success on the slide or as complex as ten judges trying to
resolve the unsuccessful performance of a figure skater. The
resolution could also be one of sorrow after an agonizing
defeat or one of glory after exhilarating success. One of
the great rewards from play is that it teaches us that sooner
or later, regardless of the complexity, sorrow, or glory,
our efforts will yield a resolution. It is our awareness of,
and our anticipation for the resolution that inspires us to
play again, and again, and again.
Zoé's story has hopefully helped you understand that
play is immensely important and provides humans with a myriad
of lessons and intrinsic rewards. These rewards have furnished
the sustenance that secured our continued progress and evolution.
Any phenomenon with that record of success deserves our steadfast
commitment to insure continued responsible progress and honorable
Biography: John Kilbourne, Ph.D. is a professor of Movement
Science at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI.
He is the author of, "Running
with Zoe: A Conversation on the Meaning of Play, Games
and Sport: Including a Journey to the Canadian Arctic."
to pelinks4u homepage)