The Science of Play

The ability to play began to evolve millions of years ago. As evolution created increasingly complex animals, the ability to play also evolved, culminating in humans: the most complex and playful species.

A cry of victory, a smile, a squeal of excitement, a tickle, a song, a goal… No matter how small, these impulses and spontaneous gestures activate mechanisms in our brain that make us feel good. That’s the joy of play, putting us in a state of mind that’s contagious and capable of transforming our day and our lives.

Play has no defined purpose beyond entertaining or amusing us. But this only scratches the surface of the concept. From a scientific perspective, human beings, like all mammals and other animal species, are born with a playful instinct, so it’s anything but trivial.

Scientists from multiple disciplines, ranging from neuroscience to psychology and psychiatry, have discovered that play is part of our biology, rooted in the deepest, most primitive part of our brains, just as much as eating or sleeping are. And just as food is essential for our physical health, play is essential for our mental health.

During childhood, play provides the raw material for learning. By playing – through experimentation, imitation, and the stimulation of our senses – we discover the world around us and the rules that govern it. The fact is that practice has always been better and more fun than theory.

Play is the maximum expression of happiness because the pleasure it gives us is as pure as it is irresistible. So why do we forget to play when we become adults? Why do we conceal our most playful side between layers of seriousness and self-imposed routines?

Age doesn’t come into it. Playing feels good – physically, emotionally, mentally – because when we play, our brains release endorphins, dopamine and other chemicals that generate a feeling of well-being. Play takes us to a safe space where we can improve our self-knowledge and boost our self-esteem. It makes us feel free and encourages us to let ourselves go, opening the door to our emotions without shields or filters. It provides us with ties in order to connect, bond, and share. Above all, it brings us together, sweeping aside generational and cultural barriers, and overcoming social stereotypes.

Let’s learn to play again. It might be the most important job of our lives because it’s a fundamental, instinctive need that we can’t give up; it’s the vital fuel to improve our well-being, a luxury that we can’t afford to stop feeding and caring for.

Simple Science