Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul
Stuart Brown, M.D., with Christopher Vaughn
Penguin Group, 2009, 229 pp., $24.95
penguin.com
The widespread misperception that play is in opposition to productivity, and something to be shed as one moves toward adulthood, has left Americans suffering play impoverishment. In response, Dr. Stuart Brown (National Institute for Play founder) offers a compelling and useful analysis of the characteristics and functions that make play central to the human experience, as well as how to retain and regain it during a period of time.
Play has important and surprising implications for “every sphere of our lives,” from identifying our play personality to the impact on work, learning and parenting. Of particular relevance to youth ministry is Brown’s conclusion that “the most significant aspect of play is that it allows us to express our joy and connect most deeply with the best in ourselves and in others.”
