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** __By: Max Hirsh,__ **__** Arika Drake, Christina Smart and Ben seibold **__

The Power of Play **

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." This quote said by George Bernard can sum up the worlds modern views on play in a short fifteen words. The meaning of play throughout history has changed drastically and not until recently has it been viewed as a helpful, useful structure in today's society. In the past, play has often been viewed as a side note and a meaningless piece of life. When going throughout a busy week, play was a factor adults and children would fit into their schedules if there was time. On the other hand, the tables are starting to turn; play is essential to fit into ones week and to involve in both work and home lives. More and more you see people taking time out of their lives to play; even if it is something like a [|video game], to play. Playing is an important part of daily life that can be done in just a few minutes a day. Taking the time out of a busy schedule to play is inportant to maintain a helthy balance in life.Play, a skill building, [|social] and not to mention enjoyable aspect in life affects the human being in ways more than just having a good time, play helps with [|child development],stress relief, along with the maturing of the right and left brain. Without these vital aspects of learning, life as we know it would be exponentially and irrecoverably changed.

In the development of small childrens' mind's and even the minds of pre-teens and young teens, play is essential to enhance learning abilities of the [|right brain]. Play develops the brain in social, creative, along with cognitive ways. Social connections is a right brained base form of thinking. Talking in conversations and making and interpreting emotions are all based of the creative side of ones brain. "In an extensive observational study of pretend play, Sawyer (1997) found that, rather than following a script, much of preschool children pretend play involves improvisational exchanges." Young children that are able to pretend play easier and have big imaginations to play, tend to be more socially accepted throughout high school years. This can be proven because much of social aspects are improvising factors, and when having to improvise from a young age, the thought becomes embedded in humans minds. Play also increases the creativity in young students, when they imagine themselves fighting a giant dragon or playing army, princess, or house, their creativity is being tested. [|Pretend play] is the ability that most students lose as they get older. "Pretend play requires the ability to transform objects and actions symbolically; it is carried out through interactive social dialogue and negotiation; and it involves role taking, script knowledge, and improvisation. "Pretend play can carry over into the curricular activity when righting fictional papers, or coming up with interesting power-points and projects. Kids that can pretend play naturally are more likely to channel into their creative imaginative side while working on these projects. Play is also the factor that makes some students the most successful in the world." There is some circumstantial evidence, too: Chinese and Japanese students, who are among the best achievers in the world, attend schools that provide short breaks every 50 minutes (Stevenson and Lee 1990)." The Japanese and Chinese are among the most successful students and most intelligent engineers in the world today. The short breaks of play is often what kids need in order to wind down and get rid of the excess energy stored in the body. America also has short breaks of play all the way up through elementary school called "recess". The difference between America and [|Asia] is that as students in the U.S. get older, they are expected to be more mature and not have the play, except it is the other way around. When having harder classes and having to be more independent, the Asian schools get breaks more often because of the amount of stress they need to reduce. Finally, schools in America believe that [|Physical Education] classes are enough play for students. On the other hand, "Researchers suspect that's because PE classes are too structured and rely too much on adult-imposed rules. To reap all the benefits of play, a play break must be truly playful." Even the PE classes can be viewed as energy burning and stress reliving, there is no cognitive or creative side to play, and therefore students do not get the same benefit. When given the opportunity to have recess and play non structured games, the minds of students is both boosted creatively and cognitively. Overall play is essential in the young children and students development during today's modern times.

 Many know there is a difference between left and right brained people, but they may not know that they play different. Right brained people are much more artsy and imaginative, while left brained people like to do more logical and reality based things/activities. Most left brained people like to know the facts; and even when it comes to playing they are more sequential and more detailed oriented. “ It is a simplification to identify "left brain" types who are very analytical and orderly. Likewise, we certainly know of the artistic, unpredictability and creativity of "right brain" types.” When right brain dominant people play they have much more creativity and much more imagination. When left brain dominant people play they are more logical and sequential. R ight brain people may have a different sense of play. They like to do, like stated before, creative and artistic things. Right brainers would choose to play a game outside over something like [|Sudoku], which left brainers might choose. “They like to imagine new possibilities, and enjoy looking at the many different angles of a problem.” Even though this is not play in the sense of something like [|recess], right brained people can find a way to “play” in everyday life. They can look at problems, for example, at their jobs and try to “play” with it and find a different angle to solve it, fix it, or help it. Left brained people would prefer to play with puzzles instead of thinking up a picture to draw. On top of that, Left brained minds tend to view the story at one angle instead of seeing all possible outcomes. From New Day Magazine, [|Dr. Linda Karges-Bone] explains activities the left brained people like to do. “Left brained traits: I enjoy doing crossword puzzles. I prefer a magazine with business news or current events.” Left brained people like to do more logical and detailed activities. Most people are not just one side of the brain. To have a healthy life both sides of the brain must work together. This is why some people will have both the left and right brained traits and will enjoying doing all the activities they do. But, people may choose certain activities that are left or right brained dominant. Everybody’s brain is unique so things that a left brained dominant person likes a right brained dominant person might like to. Playing is something everyone does; they just do it in their own way

[|Stress] is a very dominant factor in the lives of many people. Whether it is stress from jobs and school to family or relationships, etc. we all experience it at one point or another. Many things can be done to cope with this stress that involve play. Sports, online games, hobbies, and [|laughter yoga clubs] are all beneficial ways to relieve stress in a playful manner. There are many sports out there that invole play, that are fun and help lose stress.  "Playing sports helps you relieve stress because it helps you take your mind off of whatever is troubling you. You can have fun with your friends doing something you like to do and you can also take your anger out on the game you are playing like hitting a ball father or playing with more energy and aggressiveness." Playing a sport is a great stress reliever because you can, like stated above, have fun with friends and take your stress out on the game at hand. Sports can also cause stress if it is not something you are passionate about. But, if you are passionate you'll hopefully find a way to view it as a stress reliever or just plain out fun. Many people start hobbies as a way to relax and worry about nothing. Some hobbyists end up enjoying it so much they turn it into their profession. "Hobbies and fun activities can bring added joy and happiness to life, and can be a great way to relieve stress as well." [|Hobbies] are also a great stress reliever. Having a hobby like wooden plane building can help you transfer your stress from daily life to something you love. You will focus on that hobby and will stop thinking about stress. A new development by Dr. Madan Kataria, an Indian physician, called "Laughter Yoga" is a system that is supposed to free your mind and relieve your stress. "Laughter Yoga combines Unconditional Laughter with Yogic Breathing (Pranayama). Anyone can laugh for no reason, without relying on humor, jokes or comedy. Laughter is simulated as a body exercise in a group; with eye contact and childlike playfulness, it soon turns into real and contagious laughter. The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between [|fake] and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits." This program has been used in workplaces allover the world to prepare employees for the work day ahead of them. Yoga Laughter clubs are very useful. Laughing is such an amazing way of relieving stress that it is very smart to have these yoga laughter clubs. Play is very helpful in coping with stress and should always be a part of the daily routine of each individual.

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When play takes such a huge role in today's society in the examples of child development,stress relief, along with the maturing of the right and left brain, it is crucial that one takes a step back to realize that play isn't just sitting down and playing [|monopoly], it is a part of learning that cannot be replicated in any way, shape or form. People today are able to sit down and laugh in groups for long periods of time, paint a picture or even run a mile as their form of play. With all of these resources for play, people should create more time to participate in different games and [|sports], whether it be at home, in school, [|relationships] or in the workplace. Making the time to play is very important becasue it can help maintian a healthy and balanced lifestyle. It is time that human beings realize how much play constitutes ones life, and how people can add more play into life, in a way that will not only benefit that one person in the present, but will also benefit others in the future. Play is something easy everyone can do if they take the time to do it. Having the benefit of play now will not only help people in the future but also, it will help those people help others, such as their children. If these changes do not occur, the world and todays society will forever stay left brain dominant, and lose out on the incredible [|advantages] and opportunities the right side of the brain brings forth.

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