Perceptions of Play

Play matters. Play Matters.  We strongly believe the former but not everyone does. And so to bring awareness it, we’ve named this blog the latter.  Why? We want a forum to share ideas about play:  both what we know and what we continue to learn about why play matters to the healthy growth and development of our kids.

When we look at definitions of play, almost immediately we see a problem. For example: play (verb): “to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than (emphasis added) a serious or practical purpose.” Or this one: play (noun) synonyms: “amusement, entertainment, relaxation, recreation, diversion, distraction, leisure.”

Perhaps society’s limited view of play is what leads many to make a distinction between play and education. Common perceptions are that a person (usually a child) is either playing or doing something important and serious—but not both at the same time.

We beg to differ, and think it is time for us to strive—for the benefit of our kids, our future—to have a commonly understood, widely held, deeper definition of play.

Through this forum, we will share our ideas and the ideas of others, as well as some concrete examples and stories that will help us build a better, deeper definition and understanding of play. We’ll also look at our work around providing STEM and STEAM experiences to children and families at the Museums and in classrooms, what that means, and why it’s important.  We’ll talk about early learning and what sorts of play and interactions are most important for “brain building” for ages zero to three.  We’ll relay what we learn when we observe children playing at our museum. We’ll discuss nature and the outdoors, and why it is imperative for children to play and explore outside.

The common thread throughout all of this seemingly varied content will be learning through play. Our goal is to change the perception of play so that it comes to occupy a central, critical place in the lives of families and children.  Because it matters to their health, well-being, and success.

We hope you will join the conversation, making it that much richer and helping us reach our goal that much sooner.

Next post: Why Play Matters--A Lot