“Play” is not just another 4-letter word

Play is not a bad word. Neither is work. And we should stop treating them as if they are.

How do we define these? Play and work. Child and adult. As with most words, we are taught, both directly and indirectly, that these have very specific definitions and social connotations. We are taught that these are mutually exclusive. Or that they are the opposites of each other. That you grow out of childhood. That you have to stop playing and start working. That if you play all day, you won’t grow up to be a successful and therefore happy adult. That adults are too grown up to play. That life literally is the cycle of suffering at a job we hate, making money to fund the debt monster we created, because we want to conform to an unattainable “ideal” life that society defines as success.

This is called cognitive dissonance. In our hearts, we know these to not be true, yet we speak them and teach them and live them as if they are true. We’re looking for academic indicators showing that our children are working hard in school. We’re looking for titles and income levels to prove that we’re working hard as adults.

Play is how we learn. Play is creative problem-solving. Play is creativity. Play is critical thinking. Play is skill-building. Play is higher education. Play is work. Play is life.

“Play is the work of the child.” -Maria Montessori

If play is learning by doing and thinking, one could view work as giving play and the results of play a direction and a purpose. There’s a purpose for what we’re doing and we’re using our creativity and past experiences and observations to get us there knowing that there are infinite ways to do so. We don’t always have to have an identified goal in mind but we will realize the long-term benefits of play whether we have a purpose or not. There’s endless value in embracing and encouraging this idea in all areas of our lives no matter what age we are or what stage of life we’re in. Play builds skills and capabilities. It also improves physical, emotional, and character strengths. Play builds better humans.

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning.” - Fred Rogers

So what should we do? Start by redefining and reassociating work and play. Tell yourself that It’s ok for the kids to play because they’re learning.  Create opportunities for both children and adults to play. Speak up! Help others see the benefits by sharing examples of learning through play.  If you’re a teacher or caregiver, write down your observations and share them with parents. Encourage others! Share those projects you’ve been working on and what you learned. Host an event for others to learn with you.

You’re never too grown up to play.