Think back to your favorite childhood playtime activity. Do you still make time for it today? Or do you think of it as an unproductive, frivolous pastime you had to outgrow on your way to adulthood?

What Is Play?

Before diving into a discussion of the benefits of play, it helps to understand what defines play.

Play is an activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, rather than any serious or practical purpose.

It is voluntary, spontaneous, and stress-free. For many people, play also occurs “outside of time and self,” meaning that we become less conscious of time, and of our own bodies and idiosyncrasies, when we play.

Play includes a variety of pursuits as diverse as peekaboo and paintball, stickball on the beach and adult softball leagues, roughhousing and rock climbing. Play can be free and unhindered by rules or structured and codified, such as in the games of soccer and golf.

Play can also be solitary or social—the individual whipping up a new recipe in his kitchen is “playing” just as much as a group of children running around outside playing tag on a beautiful summer day. It takes countless forms that vary depending on an individual’s age, personality, and unique interests.

Think playtime is just for kids? Think again. Check out the top 10 benefits of play and learn how to incorporate a little more irreverence into your life.

Here are just a few examples of play that you or your children likely engage in on a regular basis:

Roughhousing with pets or children

Playing make-believe

Playing organized sports such as soccer, baseball, or basketball

Engaging in other forms of physical activity such as rock climbing, skiing, surfing, or ultimate Frisbee

Playing board games

Dancing

Going outside and walking in nature

Engaging in creative expression such as making art, music, gardening, or cooking a meal

Performing creative, innovative work (yes, work can be play!)

Engaging in playful banter at your job or a party

Having a playful relationship with your partner or spouse

Imagine life without these activities. It wouldn’t be much fun, right? Without play, life becomes dull, and we quickly succumb to fatigue and pessimism due to the hectic busyness of our lives. Unfortunately, our society has long devalued play, instead placing emphasis on the importance of constantly engaging in “productive” activities.

Dorothy Sluss, a professor of early childhood education, has gone so far as to state, “We don’t value play in our society. It has become a four-letter word.” (1)

However, if play is truly purposeless, as some scientists have led us to believe, then why has it persisted throughout the animal kingdom and human history, and why does it feel so essential to our well-being? Assessing play from an evolutionary perspective can help us answer this question.

The Evolutionary Origins of Play

Anyone who has ever watched a dog perform a “play bow” with its forelegs extended, rump in the air, and a goofy, expectant look on its face or seen dolphins chasing each other gleefully in the ocean understands that humans are not the only animals who love to play.

Dogs, dolphins, otters, killer whales, bears, and birds all engage in play. In fact, the smarter an animal is, the more it plays. Animals have unique play signals, such as a relaxed open-mouthed expression, that are recognized across species lines and invite others to join in the fun. Observations of animals at play have sparked scientific interest in the origins and utility of play.