Play is not just for kids! There are many reasons we need play in our lives. The Playful Life shows you why and how to bring more playfulness to all aspects of your life. You’ll explore how to create meaningful, relevant, and fun experiences for yourself and others through both a playful mindset and playful behaviors. Through research and 20+ years of teaching children and adults, authors Dr. Julie Jones and Jed Dearybury have found that play is not only fun, it’s essential to a full life. In this book, they share their knowledge and inspire you to reflect on the need for connection and joy for healthy living through play.
This book will equip you with new definitions, ideas, and ways of thinking about play for your daily life. With a relaxed tone, comical banter, and real talk, the authors encourage new understandings about what play is and empower you to make more playful choices. If you strive to find balance, overcome stress, and enjoy each day through play - The Playful Life is a must read for your life journey! - Learn what play means and why it’s so essential to our everyday lives - at every age - Discover the incredible benefits of play to your physical and mental health - Get ideas for incorporating play into your everyday life at work, at home, or when you’re out and about - Begin healing past traumas and grow into the person you are meant to be - through play and playful living!
Building on the popular book The Playful Classroom, this is a new and exciting take on what play does for all of us-- physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively.
Table of Contents
Hey Y’All xiii
Foreword xv
About the Authors xvii
Acknowledgments xix
Section One Meaning
1 Wanna Play? 3
2 Defining Play 11
3 Play as a Behavior 15
4 Play as a Mindset 19
5 Cultivating a Playful Mindset 31
Play & Ponder 41
Section Two Memory
6 Things We Learned from Playing 47
7 Cognitive Benefits of Play 51
8 Social Emotional Benefits of Play 56
9 Physical Benefits of Play 62
10 Play Personalities 65
Play & Ponder 77
Section Three Mind
11 Biological Predilection 81
12 This Is Your Brain. This Is Your Brain on Play 89
13 The Default Mode Network and Flow 96
14 Playful Habits 104
15 Play as Healing 115
Play & Ponder 127
Section Four Mistakes
16 Low-Risk/High-Risk Play 133
17 The Learning and Growth Process (RISK) 139
18 Mistakes and Fear 142
19 Excuses Are Mistakes 148
20 A Path to Eliminating Excuses 152
Play & Ponder 161
Section Five Movement
21 When Play Is Missing 165
22 Start with Yourself 169
23 Grow and Play with Friends 175
24 Play in Our Communities 180
25 You Don’t Have to Run a Marathon 183
26 Advocating Through Play 190
Play & Ponder 197
Section Six Mojo
27 Ned Barrett 201
28 Tashma Glymph 204
29 Sonia Aleman 208
30 Joan Wheatley 211
31 Marjorie Boafo Appiah 214
32 Tina Arenas 218
33 Matt Leung 222
34 Balance 225
Play & Ponder 233
Section Seven Map
35 Play Alone 237
36 Play with Friends or Family 248
37 Play with Strangers 258
38 Play as a Community 270
Play & Ponder 279
Southernisms and Their Meanings 281
References 285
Index 291
