The Importance of Play

I spent 11 years working in Research and Development for Sony PlayStation, a video game company. While there I looked at a number of studies trying to prove that video games are bad for children. Ultimately the outcome proved that allowing kids to play for an hour a day is actually good for them. Those that played in moderation proved to be better at problem solving and social interactions than those that did not play at all. I always found that interesting and shared it with parents when they questioned me on the subject.

Last night I read an article in the January 2024 issue of National Geographic about how play is also important for adults. The article didn't single out video games but included all sorts of games, whether it be sports, cards, or just horsing around. It went on to look at behavior in animals and how those that play are better able to handle new and unfamiliar situations.

One example of animals playing that stood out to me is young dogs learning to play together. There is an important social interaction when stronger dogs learn to be somewhat submissive so the play fights are not always one sided. They have to learn to balance wins and losses. Having witnessed plenty of dogs having fun, I realized the truth of the article.

As we enter the season of New Year's resolutions and trying to better one's self. I think increasing the amount of play in our lives is something we can all get behind. I don't think you necessarily need to go out and buy a video-game console but it might not be a terrible idea. Some other things you might want to try are regular game nights with friends or family. You could also look at trying a new sport. I understand Pickle Ball is a lot of fun and easy to play.

One of the reasons I ended up working at PlayStation is because my older brother gave me a refurbished PlayStation 2 for my birthday one year. Every Thursday evening we would get together and play SOCOM II online together with my other brother and my dad. We had a lot of fun and I miss those nights of taking down bad guys. Perhaps I will restart that tradition with my own sons and my grandson who loves to play games. I think that will be one of my goals for next year. Feel free to share some of your ideas on how to increase your own play.