The Science of Play

Howdy folks.  Last weekend the National Institute For Play(NIFP) put on a conference at Stanford University.  The science of play was the focus and It was organized by Stuart Brown MD and Stuart Thompson PhD.  The former is the founder of NIFP and the latter is a biology professor at Stanford and the head of the NIFP scientific advisory board.  Stuart Brown was responsible for bringing Joseph Campbell to the public with productions of The Hero's Journey and Transformations of Myth Through Time.  He has been studying play and the consequences of play deprivation for decades. He also produced the PBS Series The Promise of Play, a wonderful 3 hour series demonstrating what an enormously important topic it us for Homo Sapiens. Both gentlemen helped Brendan Boyle, Co-Chief Creative Officer at IDEO and teacher within Stanford's Design School, put together a course on Innovation Through Play. It was a big hit. ( They were silly enough to inflict me upon their students. )

 It was the first annual such meeting and I hope it was the first of many.  It's interesting that we need scientific proof that play has value when we don't need proof that work has value. That's a given. It's also a good example of normal not being healthy that we separate the two.  I just wanted to share with you one very interesting finding that speaks to this.  When we are problem solving we need the cerebral cortex to be fully engaged in creating the best solutions.  Guess what lights up the cortex.  You guessed it, PLAY.  It's a scientific fact. Dr Jaak Panksepp presented this finding and much more in his presentation.  More on this later.

Oh, one parting thought.  The NIFP is a 501c3 non-profit and it cost $50,000 to put on this conference.

We need some moola to help defray expenses, fund more research and develop programs for parents,

educators, caregivers and business folks.  I know times are tough and our problems large.  Therefore creativity and innovation are all the more important.  Collaborative free play helps create the psychological space necessary for our brains to light up and light bulbs to go on.  If you know of funding sources that would be interested and/or individuals who share a vision for a more playful positive future that might want to donate call Stuart Brown 831-659-1740 or use the National Institute for Play

web site's donation process.  Play on....b