What is play?
Q: What is play?
A: Play is a voluntary recreational activity associated with pleasure and enjoyment, and with early learning in mammals.
Q: Is play only for children?
A: No, play can also be a useful activity for adults, and occurs among other higher-functioning animals as well.
Q: Is it easy to define the term 'play'?
A: No, it is extremely difficult to define.
Q: Who are some of the most prominent researchers in the field of psychology who viewed play as endemic to the human species?
A: William James, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky.
Q: Can play be serious?
A: Yes, play may be frivolous or serious, and a player can be intently focused on his or her objective, particularly when play is structured and goal-oriented, as in a game.
Q: What is the range of play?
A: Play can range from relaxed, free-spirited and spontaneous through frivolous to planned or even compulsive.
Q: What is play associated with?
A: Play is associated with recreational pleasure and enjoyment, and with early learning in mammals.
