How do you play?
We might call it “play” when we engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation. In and of itself, play has no serious, practical, or monetary purpose. Sounds fun, right?
Although play may feel frivolous, it actually serves an essential function. Through play, a child will learn to think creatively and interact socially. In addition to its potential for learning opportunities, a 2012 study found that engaging in play may reduce stress1.
As our brains develop throughout early life, you will see corresponding changes in the ways children play. I asked my “Adolescence” course to identify games they played at certain stages of life, and then list the cognitive demands needed to play effectively. As you can see, games become increasingly complex (and therefore, more cognitively demanding) over time.
| Games | Cognitive Demands | |
| Preschool | Simons Says iSpyDuck Duck Goose | Paying attention, Memory, Auditory skills Perception, Language, Memory Theory of Mind, Hypothetical |
| Elementary | iSpy Red Light, Green Light Kickball/Handball What Time Is It Mr. Wolf? Uno, Checkers,Club Penguin/Webkins | Perception, Language, Memory Attention, Auditory, Organization, Spatial organization, Attention Attention, Auditory, Future Planning Theory of Mind, Hypothetical thinking Theory of Mind, Hypothetical thinking Social, Imagination |
| Adolescent | Handball Uno Rubix Cube | Spatial organization, Attention Theory of Mind, Hypothetical thinking Abstract thinking |
| Now | AmongUs Spike Ball | Hypothetical thinking, Memory Planning, Spatial organization |
Sometimes, I ask friends and colleagues how they play. I’ve gotten strange looks for asking this question. There is so much work involved with “adulting” that many don’t have the time or resources for play. Still, doing something you enjoy (even if you’re not good at it) can help to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
And with that, I’m off to play video games 😊
- Wang S, Aamodt S. Play, stress, and the learning brain. Cerebrum. 2012 Sep;2012:12. Epub 2012 Sep 24. PMID: 23447798; PMCID: PMC3574776.
