Play

Play is imperative. Essential. 

http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/04/the-lessons-of-winter-break-protect-playtime-downtime-and-family-time/?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

http://www.today.com/news/today-s-10-most-popular-week-fuller-house-shorts-winter-t66021

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/nyregion/in-hartford-schools-granting-artistic-license-to-learn.html?WT.mc_id=SmartBriefs-Newsletter&WT.mc_ev=click&_r=0

http://qz.com/642351/is-the-way-we-parent-causing-a-mental-health-crisis-in-our-kids/

http://www.ted.com A pioneer in research on play, Stuart Brown says humor, games, roughhousing, flirtation and fantasy are more than just fun. Plenty of play in childhood makes for happy, smart adults -- and keeping it up can make us smarter at any age.

Brains feed on play—"nothing lights up the brain like play" and brains denied play dysfunction and die. "The hand in search of the brain, the brain in search of the hand—and play is the medium by which those two are linked." (Brown)

Rats, when exposed to a cat-scented collar, all run and hide. Rats denied play never came out—they died. Rats who had played, on the other hand, eventually sensed their way back out and began exploring and experimenting again. (Brown)

Rats who play more have bigger brains and learn tasks faster. (Kreil)

Kittens deprived of play are unable to interact socially. (Kreil)

Bears who play more, survive longer. (Kreil)

Humans who play more become better problem solvers. (Brown)

Entrepreneur Steve Keil explains how important play is for humans and highlights the negative effects of seriousness and lack of play, both in human development in general, and in Bulgarian society. About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.

Neoteny.

Play stimulates nerve growth in the amygdala, which controls emotion. Play promotes pre-frontal cortex development—where cognition is happening. (Kreil)

All this play leads to more emotional maturity, improved decision-making and problem-solving ability, increased openness to change and ability to learn. 

All this play leads to improved work, creativity, innovation, purpose, mastery, productivity—and egalitarian collaboration.  (Brown, Behncke)

All these types of play—body, object, social, imaginative, rough and tumble, divergent/convergent—they are gateways to an altered state, akin to sleep, where we are able to explore the possible in more egalitarian ways. And when we play together, we strengthen the binds between us. (Brown, Behncke)

"There is," as Krell so sharply outlines, "nothing holding us back except our own mentality." 

http://www.psfk.com/2015/08/cambridge-university-lego-research-center-lego-foundation.html

from coloring books play

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelzarrell/this-woman-created-gorgeous-coloring-books-for-adults-and-so?bffb&utm_term=4ldqpgp#.srb9G7B94l

pLAY

link to blog, embed hand video with bear/dog, mandalas, tie in with myth unit

from play + sharing:

shared experiences, no right or wrong way tot play (no one gets hurt)

http://www.ted.com/talks/charlie_todd_the_shared_experience_of_absurdity

http://www.ted.com/talks/jay_silver_hack_a_banana_make_a_keyboard

http://www.ted.com/playlists/88/that_s_absurd

from role playing games

http://lifehacker.com/the-surprising-benefits-of-role-playing-games-and-how-1684582789?rev=1423496687981&utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_facebook&utm_source=lifehacker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

from types of play

All these types of play—body, object, social, imaginative, rough and tumble, divergent/convergent—they are gateways to an altered state, akin to sleep, where we are able to explore the possible in more egalitarian ways. And when we play together, we strengthen the binds between us. (Brown, Behncke)

"There is," as Krell so sharply outlines, "nothing holding us back except our own mentality." 

from take it out and play

idea when saw face in waterfall—ideas and opportunities pop up seemingly in and out of the ether, and we can learn from them by studying them closely, playfully and respectfully.