Cynthia, I'm so happy to find this post. (BTW ... in case anyone mistakes the quote above for mine, it's actually Christina Jordan's from the letter I shared).

So about playing ... I think it's a grossly underestimated science and art. I think it's the perfect mix of right-brained creativity and left-brained problem-solving.

Have you ever heard of Mark Pesce? He's one of the pioneers that created the VRML language that makes fully immersible 3D online communities like Second Life possible. A few years back Mark wrote a book called The Playful World. Will have to send you a copy, Cynthia. I know that you've invested yourself in some wonderful ways with another playground project after a family was killed. (Would you link to your note on it here?)

Have heard of KaBOOM! before, but must admit that I know nothing about it. Looking forward to joining this great adventure with you! Consider me an ally ;^)

Thanks, Cynthia, for inviting us to play and talk about play (talking about play is play for me).

I participated in a two year program/training in nonprofit administration and community development. We met for three weeks two summers and for about ten days each spring and we had projects in the world in between.

One of the instructors in the program was the games leader named Maggie. Maggie was a gifted, talented person and she probably could have given us many lectures on team-building, collaboration skills, way to support colleagues and co-workers in our organizations.

But what Maggie did was she held a section on games each day of the training.

Example:

8 a.m. Eurythymy (movement work: we began each day moving together)

9 a.m. Lectures on new material based on readings

12 Lunch and free time.

2:00 Games

3:00 Lecture/discussions, breakouts, whatever

Formal events ended at 5 p.m. but we tended to hang out together living in dorms and/or motels and being 'stuck' together.

There were no grades, no compulsions to get us to show up for games. But everyone did. This was a serious group of learner and we were serious about learning new ways to develop our organizations. Everyone always showed up for everything.

What kind of games did we play?

charades red rover "This is a this, that is a that" (complex explanation, simple game)

One of my favorite games was two volunteers stood in front of the group, having agreed to do what the group asked them to do. The larger group was given a phrase, like a charade challenge, and then the group had to tell the volunteers how to position their bodies to represent the image in the phrase. What positions would you tell two unknowing volunteers to take in order to convey the idea of world peace? Or raindrops keep falling on my head? It is so much fun and it accomplishes all kinds of good things: it creates trust in a team, it bonds people like shared laughter always will, it gets you thinking about how you use your language as well as your body to communicate, it reveals how easily we misunderstand another person's intentions.

A game like this can be played on a very simple level: just for fun. But a good game, played well, can have powerful impact.

Another great game we played those summers: there was a tree stump near the dining hall. We were asked to figure out a way to get all twenty or so of us on it. I no longer remember if we succeeded but I do recall the fun and warmth of strategizing together to do something unnecessary. I could work effectively with anyone after getting twenty people to stand on a tree stump.

Thanks, Sue! I edited my comment above to include a link to "my" playground project and to KaBOOM! The KaBOOM! folks are awesome. Pam and I both built a playground late last year on the same day... me in Kansas City, Pam in Las Vegas. They are holding a University of Play here in Atlanta in March. I get to help with it again which is part of what got me thinking about the power of play.

I have heard of Mark Pesce through my Art Heals work, but haven't gotten the book yet. Great title!

I was thinking of my favorite playground memory. It was when I was in 4th grade. I got all the kids together to put on a play, The Wizard of Oz. We'd practice in the midst of the monkey bars and swings. It was a blast. I wrote the whole thing and directed. Greedy little thing, I also cast myself as Dorothy until I realized I'd have to talk in front of people. So I did a little reorganizing and recast myself as the Tin Man, which I turned into a non-speaking part. I'm sure there's all kind of profound sub-conscious meaning in THAT! But I loved going to the playground to practice everyday.

I now belong to a seven year old experiment in an open space community. We gather for three day weekends, four times a year.

One of my favorite activities at our gatherings is playing a board game with whoever shows up in the evening, after supper and after any evening events.

Playing games together is a powerful community-building, capacity-building catalyst.

I recently played "Cranium" with my open space gang. Naturally, not everyone in this group likes me as much as I think they should. But I think everyone, even the people who aren't crazy about me, will have to love me, at least a little bit, for all eternity after they saw me do a Michael Jackson moonwalk to win a point for my team.

Cynthia Gentry said:

I have heard of Mark Pesce through my Art Heals work, but haven't gotten the book yet. Great title!

Don't get it. I'll send it to you.

Cynthia Gentry said:

So I did a little reorganizing and recast myself as the Tin Man, which I turned into a non-speaking part. I'm sure there's all kind of profound sub-conscious meaning in THAT!

Funny coincidence. Did you ever notice the end of my email address? tinman.org ... it was the very first domain I ever registered, part of a community projected called "OPERATION TINMAN: giving technology a heart".

Therese -- I've always enjoyed participating in workshops where games and roleplay were involved too. One of my favourites was a management seminar where we were given a bunch of legos. Was a cool communications demo. The one thing that play does at any level is build a sense of commeraderie. It's harder for things to go off the rails when you're having fun together.

i love to play... here is some info you might find interesting cynthia...

I don't know if you all have heard of "Dr. Toy" www.drtoy.com but she's an expert in "play" for children.

(and she awarded our musicland band show "best video for children"! we were quite honored...)

Here's a bio from her website:

Dr. Stevanne Auerbach, known as "Dr. Toy," is an expert in play, toys, children's products, education, parent education, child development, child advocacy, child psychology, child care and special education. She is the author of 15 books.

She is a frequent speaker and writer on toys and children's products.. She selects and evaluates the newest and best toys and other products for the annual feature " Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products " and provides other programs and resources year round.

Dr. Toy frequently appears in the media. Interviews have been on The Today Show, The Donahue Show, Hour Magazine and many other talk shows on radio and TV throughout the country including "Good Morning Texas." She contributes articles, features, interviews and quotes in newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post, USA Today, The Boston Globe, Miami Herald,Chicago Tribune, Kiplinger Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, Working Mother, Ms., Parents, Parenting, Child, Parenting Publications of America, Money Magazine, Bottom Line Personal, and many more.

Born in New York City, Dr. Auerbach attended Queens College, and was a teacher in New York City, Maryland and the District of Columbia. In Washington, D.C., she worked as the Education Coordinator of Arena Stage's first, "Theatre in Education" program. Later, as a staff member of the US Department of Education and the Office of Economic Opportunity, she was responsible for evaluating Title 1 programs, approved the first grant to "Sesame Street", organized the first in-house child care center for employee's children (still operating as a model for government child care), was the government representative and planner on the Day Care Forum of the 1970 White House Conference on Children, and developed a $2.5 million National Research and Development Program on Child Care at the Office of Economic Opportunity.

After completing an MA at George Washington University and a Ph.D. at the Union Institute, she focused on writing, consulting and speaking with emphasis on family issues. Her newest book, Dr. Toy's Smart Play/Smart Toys : How to Raise a Child with a High P.Q. (Play Quotient) now published by Educational Insights (see www.educationalinsights.com) was first published by St. Martin's Press, Griffin Trade Paper, 1998. It focuses on the importance of play and the selection of the most appropriate playthings from baby to older children. Among her other published books, F.A.O. Schwarz: Toys for a Lifetime: Enhancing Childhood Through Play (Rizzoli/Universe on classic toys) The Toy Chest( Lyle Stuart) is the most comprehensive review of the history, industry and selection of toys. Her book, Keys to Choosing Child Care (Barron's Educational Services) the first guide of its kind for parents (1973) was recently revised. Her book, The Whole Child: A Sourcebook for Parents (Putnam/Perigee) provided information and resources on parenting. Two tapes, "Tips on Toys" and "Tips on Choosing Child Care" have been produced.

Dr. Auerbach was the founder/director of the innovative San Francisco International Toy Museum located from 1996-1990 in the historic Cannery in Fisherman's Wharf (the October, 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake forced the museum to close). This was the first museum where children could see both the history of toys and play with and test new toys and other products. During the three years it was open, more than 100,000 visitors from all over the world came to enjoy the unique Toy Museum.

Dr. Auerbach provides workshops on parenting issues at the workplace and in communities. Presentations have included Levi Strauss, Pacific Bell, UCSF, Department of Social Services, Federal Reserve Bank and in schools throughout the country. She presents resources for teachers at NAEYC, and for state and local groups throughout the country. In 1992, she produced the Bay Area Education Celebration in two sites in San Francisco and Marin County. Exhibitors focused on life-time learning included SEGA, Kaiser Permanente, Industry Education Council of California, The Bay Guardian, KQED, School Districts of S.F. and Marin, Encyclopedia Britannica, Discovery Toys, Golden Gate University and others.

She is a long time member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), Women in Toys (WIT), American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), American Personnel and Guidance Association (lifetime member).

Dr. Stevanne Auerbach is the Director of the Institute for Childhood Resources, in San Francisco, CA, founded in 1975. Dr. Auerbach produced a syndicated column, Dr. Toy, for King Features for five years. Her monthly on-line magazine, Dr. Toy's Guide, presents Dr. Toy's awards for the best educational, developmentally appropriate toys and children's products and other features. She writes now for Fotopress International (in 40 countries). You can find it on-line at: http://www.drtoy.com/

Cynthia Gentry said:

I'd love to hear any stories you have about the power of play: favorite playground memories, children finding healing and self-esteem through play, playgrounds turning around communities, play as physical therapy... anything that comes to mind.

I sometimes wonder what our children are missing out on because of computers. I'm a computer columnist, so you can imagine how connected my household is ;^) While I marvel at the things my kids come up with, teaching themselves how to make movies, and all kinds of multimedia fun, sometimes I realize that there is a real need to disconnect and return to some of the more rudimentary toys that allowed our own imaginations and creativity to flourish before electronics reigned.

Back in '99 I did a feature on "classic toys" and how they'd gone digital. While a number of them have moved, or disappeared, I thought it would be fun to bring one or two of them back in here to remind us about the ways that playing in it's simplest form didn't require anything more than our own heart.

I'll start with one of my favourites. Go ahead. Click on it and give it a try ;^)

If I could have one play wish in my life it would be to run free in Pixar for as long as I wished. I could spend days in John Lassiter's office alone! Filled with classic toys. The college friend I was going to visit in the recent LA trip that fell through produced Toy Story. Still dying to pick her brain on that one!

I saw a TV show recently about some people who were redoing a home. The parents were deaf and one of the son's was autistic and blind. His favorite thing in the world was spending hours on his swing...outdoors with the wind on his face and the soothing back and forth was very comforting for him. That fascinated me. He also loved big cardboard boxes...tons of them!

That in turn reminded me of my son as a child. I'd get him something or other and he'd prefer to play with the box.. making forts. After I got a new stove installed one time my niece and I made a play house out of the box. The making of it was the best part... when you have that vision in your head and the magic of making it real is so powerful.

Do you remember being scared to go down the big slide in the playground and how proud you were when you finally made it down ALIVE!

Cynthia, that was one of my favourite episodes of Extreme Home Makeovers. I don't know how you can get through that one with dry eyes.

As for the playground equipment, my big scary moment was the merry-go-round. My dad was a highschool teacher, and the wives and kids used to get together for picnics at Steinhoff Park. Thought it was great until the big kids got us on that darn thing and wouldn't let us off. One kid spun it so hard I went flying off and cracked my head open. (Yeah, I know ... it explains a lot, doesn't it? ;^) I think I might have been in my twenties when I tackled it again, when I took my first son to the park. Better late than never, huh? Having children gives you permission to be a kid yourself again. It's really liberating to learn that you can go out in public and act like a five-year-old and get away with it! You've nailed it on the head when you talked about the value of learning to play -- again, or for the first time. I think as we grow older we tend to disconnect from an important part of ourselves (which is likely why so many of us get grumpy when we come in here).

>>It's really liberating to learn that you can go out in public and act like a five-year-old and get away with it! You've nailed it on the head when you talked about the value of learning to play -- again, or for the first time.<<

And this can be so challenging. Disconnecting from that adult persona and just being a goofball playing with your kids. (or course I've got the goofball part covered). But taking a step up to playing on their level is work I'm sad to say. Setting aside your age, "wisdom", and being a real kid again is harder than it should be. Connecting to that wonder again as an adult is such a inspiring thing.

>>favourite episodes of Extreme Home Makeovers<<

My wife just makes sure she has a box of tissues ready before every show begins.

Re: Extreme Home Makeovers = massive tears! I only watch it alone. Did I tell you about the time I saw the coloring book pages from my website colored in and on the wall of one of the houses? It was a really emotional moment.

The whole concept of play is what has me so excited about those roundabout water pumps in So. Africa. To harness the force of play and fun to pump water into the reservoir is brilliant.

Yet another consideration that I find interesting (who knew there were so many topics around the concept of play?) is the connection between lack of play and childhood obesity. Bet there are some interesting statistics there. I'll dig around and see if I can find some.

Cynthia, I meant to ask you last night which episode that was where your work was shown? Wasn't it the one with the big family of girls who had lost their parents in an accident?

BTW ... I keep wondering if the roundabout project is worth sticking a magnet on? It would be cool to invite people to consider collaboratively investing in another one. It might take awhile for the cup to fill, but I think it's one of those really great examples of breakthrough innovation.

And Mark, you said a mouthful. I was sitting in the dentist office last week, and this young father was sitting with his little girl reading to her. She was only a couple of years old, and I was fascinated by the way he shed that mask we tend to wear as adults in public (reserved, quiet). As he was reading this story, he was completely animated, and living the tale. I found myself wanting to clap, because it was like listening to my kindergarten teacher reading all over again. You know the way that certain adults have an implicit permission to be larger than life and turn storytelling into absolutely theatre? Anyway, I remember regretting leaving the dentist office that day without leaning over and telling him how much I enjoyed not only what he was doing, but that amazing connection he had with his daughter. Talk about modelling parenting at it's finest!

Sue, Yes, that was the episode. They had a bulletin board filled with pictures they had drawn for their mother when she was sick and that she had drawn for them. I remember looking and thinking, "Boy, that looks like something I would have done... Hey, wait, I DID do that!!!!" It was great especially since it was one of those blue days when you need a nudge from somewhere.

Let's shoot back over to the roundabout discussion to pursue that issue further.

Just watched "Invisible Children" the movie about child soldiers in Uganda. They showed a march where people were holding signs like "Rebels, give us our children back." Then I saw one that said "The RIGHT to Play." Wow.

Cynthia, I'm going to give Christina the heads-up on the round-about idea too. I think the soccer program she's been reaching out for help on is a good example of how essential play is to healing. I'll be the round-about might be another great thing to bring to some of the IDP camps in Northern Uganda where kids have been so affected by civil war.

Heading back over to that thread now ...

Great, Sue. I wrote the Roundabout people last week to see if they were ready to expand beyond South Africa. The email reply said that they were going to "sit down with management" to see where this stands. I'll keep on them.

I'll mention this to Christina when I share it with her. As an Ashoka Fellow she might be able to reach out with the support of a few more peers to encourage scaling up this innovative program.

I sometimes wonder why every curriculum designer and every person who designs corporate trainings, etc., does not incorporate play into their designs.

Play is fun but it is also quite serious. We have to tap into all of our gifts and capacities to do good work in the world. We cannot afford to only use the left brain.

Play foster creatvity, builds team capacity through comraderie as Sue has pointed out and it taps into joy.

Once I was hired to design a day of teambuilding for a technology firm with 80 employees, many of whom had never met in person even though they worked together for months and years. It was a great gig because the client gave us carte blanche. We were asked to create a day in which people would get to know each other better.

The event was three days long and we had one day to do what we wanted. One day of strategic planning, our team building day and then the third day resumed strategic planning.

We met in a hotel in the mountains, next to a golf course and a national park.

We played games all day. We shifted teams throughout the day so everyone would have a chance to play with everyone else. We designed fun ways to introduce ourselves, we played team games and we played games with individual winners.

I sometimes think that any organization could get more work done if they had play considered park of the work.

Cynthia, to start this thread, you asked for our stories about playgrounds, so here is one of mine.

I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland while my dad was in school. Unfortunately, we left by the time I could get a great accent -- I was only 2 years old. But, when I was 8 years old, we returned to visit the UK and lots of other countries, I quickly discovered that kids my age throughout Europe didn't speak the same language -- Duh! But, I was SO excited to discover that we all had one language in common - PLAY!

Everywhere I went, I went straight to the playground. That is the place where no one was caught up in the differences that prevented us from being friends. I found fast friends on playgrounds in many different countries without uttering a word of English. I don't think this is too different from what happens on playgrounds throughout the United States where kids come together across many other lines of difference - race, income level, gender, etc. In fact, playgrounds are often the place where kids first meet someone of a different race.

I thought I'd add something else about play - less personal and more research focused in case people might find it interesting.

There is a good body of social science research on the benefits of play. I work with KaBOOM! (the organization Cynthia mentioned at the beginning) and we have scanned some of this research. Basically, it can be grouped in five areas. I've included some of the highlights below, and I can probably tell you more about particular items if you're interested. Just let me know.

I will also invite Julia Huber to join the discussion. She is a great writer/research from the UK, who worked with us last fall to help collect some of this research. I'm sure she'll have some useful things to add.

Play and Physical Health

• Reduces obesity and obesity-related problems such as heart disease, diabetes and psychological damage related to body image.
• Develops and refines gross and fine motor skills and body awareness

Play and Cognitive Development

• Improves learning by increasing creativity and imagination, independent thinking, perspective, reasoning skills, creative problem-solving, memory and language development
• Improves academic performance by increasing attention spans, planning skills, and attitudes about learning
• Leads to increased test scores, particularly in the area of mathematics.
• Creates and increases permanent neurological connections and pathways that are essential for later learning
• Teaches children "how to learn" by exploring and experimenting with their environment, through which they gain the capabilities to adapt and adjust to a constantly changing world

Play and Social Development

• Develops interpersonal skills by encouraging self-expression, empathy, cooperation, sharing, taking turns and resolving conflicts with other children and adults
• Builds understanding of and concern for the consequences of one's actions
• Increases awareness of others who are different, particularly along racial & gender lines
• Teaches children to make friends and develop relationships with other children

Play and Emotional Development

• Builds self-awareness through reflection and self-evaluation
• Fosters self-direction and independence
• Develops self-control and personal responsibility
• Shapes self-identity and sense of self-acceptance
• Provides opportunities for accomplishment that help develop self-esteem
• Reduces illness-related anxiety and stress

Play and Community Development

• Builds social cohesion by fostering positive attitudes to racial and cultural diversity among children and their parents
• Strengthens local support networks and forms part of the "glue" that brings families and communities together
• Influences where people chose to live based on location of nearest playground

Tony, WOW. And I just thought it was FUN! Amazing information. Thanks for sharing it here. It all makes sense, too, when you think about it.

Our new neighborhood playground has really transformed our community. It is packed all the time. Now it has spawned a community wide week long focus on our parks coming up this spring. The playground has brought so much life and togetherness to us all. It's so cool (and the real estate agents are thrilled).

I absolutely agree that children's lives are greatly enhanced through play. In fact, if you get a chance, read some information about the High/Scope curriculum (www.highscope.org) - the whole philosophy behind it is that preschool age children learn primarily through play and High/Scope capitalizes on that to help children get ready for school.

My son is 3 years old, and he learned to count on the playground jumping up and down steps. Providing playground equipment to developing countries is a beautiful idea.

Recently, the US government, under the direction of the president, has moved toward different standards of learning for younger children which restrict play and emphasize direct instruction. But in the light of what we know about children learning through play, this seems like an awfully dangerous move to make.

Does anyone have an opinion on the No Child Left Behind Act and how it will affect funding for play-related children's programs?

Hi Kathleen, you're right that current federal funding creates incentives that are pushing schools to move away from play altogether. Many schools have begun reducing or eliminating recess during the school day due to increasing pressure on academic performance and assessment.

In fact, one research report that I saw claims that 40% of elementary schools in the US are "reducing, deleting or considering deleting recess." Not a good sign.

Kathleen had also mentioned the High/Scope curriculum, which I think has incredible findings in it.

Here is an excerpt from one of their recent reports.

Only 9% of children in self-initiated play in a loosely structured pre-school environment had been arrested for a felony at ages 22-23, as compared to 34% of those children in a highly directive pre-school environment where teachers rewarded them for correct answers. Furthermore, no child in the first group had ever been suspended from work, as compared to 27% of those in the later group.

This came from a highly rigorous 37-year longitudinal study that tracked groups of children with all the double-blind, control-group methodology. Although I find this research amazing, I also find it a bit sad that someone has to go through such tremendous effort and expense to tell us what I would hope we would know already.

Kathleen, can you tell us more about what the experience was like for your son? And, I'm curious how much was play a part of the curriculum?

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