Play moves us!

There is something magical about moving forward—it’s about progression and finding out what comes next. Funnily, sometimes life takes us on adventures and invites us to move up or down, even sideways, in the name of play. The journey of play is filled with joy and excitement, making it a truly engaging experience. Are you ready to embark on this adventure? Toy and play scholar Katriina Heljakka, Doctor of Arts, Ph.D. has researched the ecosystem of play and how it affects the players.

Published: 3 June 2024, edited: 12 June 2024
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“Movement is miraculous,” Finnish artist Jorma Uotinen has said. There is something magical about moving forward—it’s about progression and finding out what comes next. Funnily, sometimes life takes us on adventures and invites us to move up or down, even sideways, in the name of play. The journey of play is filled with joy and excitement, making it a truly engaging experience. The question one will need to ask then is whether we are ready to move with play and let it take us to places unknown—be the Alice in Wonderland, who dropped through that rabbit hole and landed in a different reality.

What if?

Play is colored by questions beginning with “What if?” Play scholar Thomas Henricks has said that we play to know more about what we do not know enough. Daring to play is exercising one’s flexible mindset, a central characteristic of playful human beings. Play is not just about experimentation; it's about freedom and creativity. Playful activities allow us to try and test, fail in a safe state of mind, and advance our thinking and skills. Playful mindsets are progressive and proactive, inspiring people to embrace the possibilities of play.

Curiosity is crucial to play, as play is exploratory. In playing, we can try out and test how the world around us works and allow a pathway to interact with the environment, its resources, and other living beings. Humor is essential, as playful people also enjoy having a good time. Being drawn to fun does not need to mean meaningless experiences; instead, the secret of having fun while playing is about loving the challenges that play throws our way.

Play is colored by questions beginning with “What if?”

Play is colored by questions beginning with “What if?”

Play is a voluntary activity that produces enjoyment and gratification for players of any age.

Play is a voluntary activity that produces enjoyment and gratification for players of any age.

Play is a vast phenomenon and has been defined in many ways. Every researcher of play wants to define play in their own way. Based on play scholar Peter Gray’s thinking, here is my suggestion:

Play is a voluntary activity that produces enjoyment and gratification for players of any age. It can be goal-driven or open-ended, enhancing emotional, physical, mental, cognitive, or social well-being. Players employ imagination, creativity, or skill to explore various objects, artifacts, or environments and to communicate and interact with themselves or others. Play can take many forms, be solitary or social, and be embedded in the physical, digital, or imaginative. It can be exercised both offline and online as part of leisure, work, and playful learning. It can be extended with play(ful) things, tools, technologies, and media, and engaged in by players of different ages, even between individuals of other generations.

Play scholar Roger Caillois categorized play into four types: agôn, alea, mimicry, and ilinx. Agôn refers to games of skill and contests like chess, alea to games of chance like the lottery or roulette, and mimicry to imaginative play focused on imitating others. Ilinx, the fourth category, means vertigo, the dizziness and spinning sensation of swinging, riding a roller coaster, or even hopping on a playground carousel.

Moving fast doesn't have to include parachute jumping, even though many have experienced the thrill of skydiving. Even after a thrilling roller coaster ride, we might feel exhilarated. We ask, “Wow, what just happened?”

Playing is very physical, and movement contributes to the body's well-being

Sometimes, play asks us to try something daring one can do on the ground, like a steep-looking, swiveling tunnel slide. I have attempted slides like this on a few occasions—once at a selfie museum in the U.S. and another time on a campus of a Scandinavian design school.

In these instances, playing is very physical, and movement contributes to the body's well-being by giving a sense of flow—being immersed in the present moment. Remember experiencing a burst of adrenaline produced by the feeling of ilinx, or vertigo? Both physical play and humor activate similar areas of the brain associated with pleasure and reward. Both areas play a role in stress reduction. Bodily play and humor trigger the release of endorphins, neurotransmitters that help alleviate stress and promote feelings of relaxation and well-being. In parallel to physical interaction, research also suggests that engaging in playful activities and humor can enhance cognitive flexibility and encourage innovative thinking.

Play is self-actualization and self-expression; it is a language of its own. Play needs time, space, and the work of a playful mindset to become realized in human life.

Play is self-actualization and self-expression; it is a language of its own. Play needs time, space, and the work of a playful mindset to become realized in human life.

You might wonder why an adult would like the experience of sliding. Still, today, even players of mature age actively seek all kinds of playful experiences in leisure, learning, and even work. Play is, indeed, ageless—everyone is entitled to enjoy it in their own way. Children are the masters of the activity, but even adults love to let play move them physically, cognitively, and emotionally.

Roger Caillois also said that play is not productive. He meant that the reason we play must be credited to something other than the sake of working toward a goal. Play is self-actualization and self-expression; it is a language of its own. Play needs time, space, and the work of a playful mindset to become realized in human life. This means that one can never be forced to play but can only be invited to it.

Although each culture may have its unique interpretation, play is a universal phenomenon observed in human and animal communication. It has been said that for humans, animal play is easy to recognize once we see it happening. Have you ever witnessed monkeys play in a zoo? Most probably, you have watched pet dogs interact playfully with their humans. This behavior is full of joy despite its momentary and temporary nature; it is not humorless.

Link between mental well-being and play

Research among psychiatrists, psychologists, and play experts has found a link between mental well-being and play. Scholars such as Stuart Brown and Brian Sutton-Smith have shown how not being able to express one's playfulness can lead to depression. On the contrary, being active by playing may lead to resourcefulness, even playful resilience—the ability to endure and flourish despite a challenging situation. What is the secret of playfulness and its connections to our physical bodies?

A recent study conducted at Humboldt University found that playfulness in rats originates in their brains. The study focused on the positive effects of play rather than the negative effects of play deprivation. The rats were studied as they were engaged in physical forms of play, such as rough-and-tumble play and when humans tickled them. The research proves that rats enjoy playing familiar games such as tag and hide-and-seek, and they laugh excitedly when the researchers tickle them. The enjoyment derived from the playful interactions between the rats and their human researchers evidences the possibility of interspecies play.

How could we infuse more meaningful play into our lives? One possibility lies in thinking about how we like to play the best. Play theory knows various player types: Game scholar Richard Bartle has categorized players into killers, achievers, socializers, and explorers. Killers and their parallel group of fighters are focused on winning, ranking, and competition. Again, achievers desire to obtain a status and achieve preset goals quickly or completely. Socializers are eager to build networks of friends and colleagues, and explorers are driven by discovering unknown territories. Playthings, playful spaces, and play environments can be designed based on this player typology.

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Play and humor are close cousins, and humor transcends the categories of player type. Playing often results in bubbling laughter before, amidst, or after a good play session. Sometimes, it is nearly impossible to stop laughing. It’s the smiles and laughter we remember after the playful interaction ceases. Play is about living in the moment, but equally so about times that leave a lingering glow around us.

Play is a robust, positive life force that brightens an otherwise gloomy day. Play also empowers us and makes us experience togetherness. It is a unifier that could be described as social glue. Engaging in playful physical activities and sharing humorous experiences with others can strengthen social relationships and foster a sense of camaraderie. For most of us, play is deeply rooted in the experience of being human and feeling belongingness within the world.

How did the slide rides mentioned earlier end for me? In a broad smile, if not a grin. I did it and landed safely on both occasions. But what would play be if it was not shared with others? So, I have pictures and videos to prove my bravery.

When was the last time you were moved by play? Even without any proof or documentation of your playful moment, I reckon that you still remember that special feeling of play.

Hold on to that feeling until it’s time to play again. Let life set rabbit holes in your way, be open-minded and curious, and let the world show you how play could move you.

Katriina Heljakka, Doctor of Arts, Ph.D.
Katriina Heljakka, Doctor of Arts, Ph.D.

Researcher of toys, play, and playful learning

Author of How Play Moves Us: Toys, technologies, and mobility in a digital world, available here.

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