Outline | Play

       I.            Introduction – What is play?

a.       Play is a state of mind.

                                                              i.      The state of play allows for a mental, emotional and physical presence that is: fluid (nonlinear) thinking, judgment and ego free, looks at a problem or situation from a 360 degree angle, can transform anything into anything else, is open to all possibilities and has a “yes, and” attitude.

                                                            ii.      Like meditation can teach the state of mindfulness, so can a state of play be taught.

b.      A state of play is increasingly threatened by the modern world and technology boom.

                                                              i.      Increase use of screen time in both adults and how we raise our kids, is fostering a mind of two dimensional thought verses three dimensional play.

                                                            ii.      Exporting our social interaction on line is resulting in an inability for humans to recognize a “play face” and other emotional nuances resulting in an ill prepared socially inept generation.

c.       Due to our society no longer being able to naturally engage in high level play, introducing play conditioning exercises to our culture is a new necessary.

                                                              i.      Play conditioning classes consist of repetitive exposure to positive play.

                                                            ii.      As neuroplasticity can confirm, repetitive exposure has the ability to rewire our brain, thus developing a state of play as a new mental home. (What is Neuroplasity)

d.      Thesis Statement: Engaging in play conditioning exercise to develop and maintain a playful state of mind is not only possible due to recent findings on neuroplasticity, but also critical to an individual’s happiness and ability to thrive in the modern and emerging world.  Learning how the brain creates new neural pathways, in conjunction with a clear appreciation and understanding of play, will expertly guide the development of a success play conditioning program vital to the future.

    II.            Play has an evolutionary role vital to survival and proper development of the human condition.

a.       Child’s play mimics the skills necessary for successful adult life.

                                                              i.      Throughout time, girls have engaged in nurturing activities as play, such as doll and imaginative “house” play, while boys engaged in activities like play hunting and war.  (Chick)

b.      Playfulness is an intrinsically attractive attribute when selecting a long term partner.

                                                              i.      Men select playful mates that signal youth, while woman select playful mates because it feels non-threatening.  (Chick)

c.       Engaging in play builds resilience to trauma.

                                                              i.      A study of play deprived rats lead to results suggesting that play is vital to building resilience to life threats. (Stuart)

                                                            ii.      Through the study of marmosets, it is concluded that play builds tolerance to stress. (Norscia)

 III.             Human connection is both taught and fostered through play.

a.       Play is our first form of connection, and builds vital neurological connections in early life.

                                                              i.      Early connection through prevents secure attachment disorder from forming. (Lavine)

                                                            ii.      Babies in orphanages often develop challenges later in life from early neglect of touch.

b.      Play creates a mental state allowing for deeper connection and more rewarding, higher functioning relationships.

                                                              i.      The couple that plays together stays together.

                                                            ii.      Play is on-par with the connection and experience of love.  (Adams)

c.       The valuable person to person connection, which play has the ability to spark, is now in jeopardy due to current culture.

                                                              i.       Increased use social media and online gaming, takes time away from valuable person to person connection.  Human play faces are no longer recognizable.

 IV.            It is out of a playful state of mind that our deepest and most creative thought is born.

a.       Those with aptitudes in the sciences and maths have a propensity towards creativity and playfulness.  (Chang)

                                                              i.      Einstein developed the theory of relativity through a playful imagining of riding a beam of light through the universe.

b.      Traits of playfulness are similar to those of creativity. (Csikszentmihlyi)

c.       Corporate environments recognize the need for play through “team building” activities, however this once a year approach is not enough.

d.      Group play fosters the ability to engage in professional group environments without the individual’s ego getting in the way which results in quicker, more innovated problem solving and brainstorming.

    V.            A playful mind allows for a kinder, more accepting attitude towards ourselves, and resilience to challenging life circumstances.

a.       Happiness is more in our control than we have previously believed. (Gordon)

                                                              i.      If one can change their happiness set point, they can change their “playfulness set point”.

 VI.            A playful mind can be tough

a.       Neuroplasticity now proves the ability of the brain

b.      The technology boom has neurologically altered/ inhibited early play development (Rieber)

c.       Play conditioning is putting neuroplasticity to use in developing a playful mind.

VII.            Conclusion:  It is imperative that our culture’s value of play dramatically increases – and quickly too.  If not, we are headed for not just an unhappy overworked future, but also one void of human connection, and resilient, creative individuals.  Yet change is possible.  Neuroplasticity and play conditioning prove the ability to increase and develop the playful mind at any point and any age.