Fromaleadingexpert,agroundbreakingbookonthescienceofplay,anditsessentialroleinfuelingourhappinessandintelligencethroughoutourlivesWe’veallseenthehappinessonthefaceofachildwhileplayingintheschoolyard.Ortheblissfulabandonofagoldenretrieverracingacrossalawn.Thisisthejoyofplay.Bydefinition,playispurposeless,all-consuming,andfun.ButasDr.StuartBrownillustrates,playisanythingbuttrivial.Itisabiologicaldriveasintegraltoourhealthassleepornutrition.Wearedesignedbynaturetoflourishthroughplay.Dr.Brownhasspenthiscareerstudyinganimalbehaviorandconductingmorethansix-thousand“playhistories“ofhumansfromallwalksoflife-fromserialmurdererstoNobelPrizewinners.Backedbythelatestresearch,Playexplainswhyplayisessentialtooursocialskills,adaptability,intelligence,creativity,abilitytoproblemsolveandmore.Particularlyintoughtimes,weneedtoplaymorethanever,asit’stheverymeansbywhichwepreparefortheunexpected,searchoutnewsolutions,andremainoptimistic.Afascinatingblendofcutting-edgeneuroscience,biology,psychology,socialscience,andinspiringhumanstoriesofthetransformativepowerofplay,thisbookproveswhyplayjustmightbethemostimportantworkwecaneverdo.
SOCIALSCIENCE psychology PLAY biology creativity
