When children play it may appear chaotic and messy yet in the chaos, new creative patterns of thinking and learning emerge. Research shows that unstructured, self-directed PLAY is essential for little ones’ healthy development.

Risk is needed

Fear, you might think, is a negative experience, to be avoided whenever possible. Yet, as everyone who has a child knows, children love to play in risky ways—ways that combine the joy of freedom with just the right measure of fear to produce the exhilarating blend known as thrill.

Emotion Regulation Theory

The theory of play’s major role is to teach young mammals (we are mammals) how to regulate fear and anger. In risky play, youngsters experiment with fear in small doses, at their own pace, while practicing staying agile and alert. They adapt their behavior to their surroundings while experiencing an emotional edge. They learn to manage their fear, mutate to emerging conditions, and come out alive. In rough and tumble play they may also experience anger, as one player may accidentally hurt another. But to continue pursuing the fun, they must overcome that anger. If they lash out, the play is over. Thus, according to the emotion regulation theory, play is, among other things, the way that young mammals learn to control their fear and anger so they can encounter real-life dangers, and interact in close quarters with others, without succumbing to negative emotions. 

At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.– Jean Houston

Are we Having Fun Yet?

In our rapidly changing, uncertain environment fun might seem a faraway dream. Laughing, exploring, feeling spontaneous, courageous, and animated are all necessary elements of systems change because they initiate novel thinking and out-of-the-box solutions. 

Evolutionary Value

When we are playful, we stretch ourselves out of our comfort zone, get creative, take manageable risks, and innovate. We can continually update and change our perspectives even though we cannot see how play and uncertainty fit together smoothly. Play is an expression of genius because it allows the environment to teach us how to respond through cooperation and improvisation rather than competition.