Creative people are usually quite adept at play - exploring, discovering, perhaps bringing a childlike approach to solving problems in new ways. For all of us, the spirit of playfulness is a very human quality - it is evident right from those toddler years, when play is one of our most robust tools for beginning to make sense of ourselves, other people and the world around us.
Interestingly, as our cognitive skills expand and mature as we age, it seems the utility of play begins to fade away. We rely on ‘logical’ or outcome based strategies, perhaps even rumination, or we limit ourselves to recalling already learnt content.
Evidence demonstrates over and over that play is indeed a valuable skill to hold on to. Our brains love that playful state, we get to think and notice and process. We’re present and absorbed. It often feels pleasurable, and there is less attention left to be spent on self-criticism, punitive judgement, concrete rigidity or boredom.
I had the pleasure of musing over these themes with Jo Pickup from ArtsHub, who revisits the concept of play in her article here. The article also includes insights from some gurus of play - Sue Giles from Polyglot Theatre and Frankie Italiano from Sensorium Theatre.