Why Play is Vital - No Matter Your Age

Play expert Stuart Brown, of the National Institute for Play presented a lecture at the 2008 "Serious Play" lecture series at TED. His studies have shown that Play, or a lack of, can have long-lasting affects on one's life. He presents an argument that Play is not only for the young, and that maintaining an active pursuit of Play throughout our lives is important

As a profession that orchestrates the interactions between everyday life and out outdoor environments, what responsibilities do we have for ensuring that we create stimulating, engaging, and enlightening places? How do we encourage play, investigation, and speculation into often banal situations (not every design is a playground), captivating the imaginations of all ages, and ability levels?

Often, design solutions become diluted through repetition, like an anticipated plot line sequence for a worn out story. To what level must we commit to producing new situations versus relying upon prescribed and expected solutions? How can we better promote a lifetime of play?

National Institute for Play - http://http://www.nifplay.org/