Everyone needs play
There’s no question that play is of the utmost importance for early childhood development. Many studies have proven that play is crucial for our little brains as they start to grow.
Play allows children to develop their imaginations and pursue creativity.
It promotes physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.
It is literally through play that children learn how to engage and interact with the world. (For more reading on this, visit the writings of D.W. Winnicott.)
One could argue that play is just as important as learning how to read and write. In fact, it seems likely that play goes hand in hand with these other more academic skills. If we know this to be true, why is it that as our brains continue to develop into adulthood our relationship to play begins to dwindle?
Somewhere along the way our inner child retreats and we develop an aversion to play. We learn to see play as frivolous, as something that keeps us from our productivity or a distraction. We’re here to tell you that the opposite of play is not work, it’s depression.
Play belongs in the workday.
Play is just as important for adults as it is for children. Play is crucial for our health and well-being. It reduces stress, releases endorphins, and actually increases brain function.
Many of us are facing screen fatigue and a loss of connection. The impact on our well-being and mental health is significant. However, like most things that are good for us (meditation, exercise, naps, etc.), it’s difficult to make space and time for play in the work-centered world we’ve crafted for ourselves. Especially when we have to rewire our brains to think of it as a necessity rather than an indulgence.
So, how do we make space for play? That’s where Recess comes in!
Recess seriously likes to play! As educators in the field, we’ve developed unique sequences of play that provide an entryway to the deeper work of connection and trust building within a community. The result is a system that optimizes teamwork and integrates play seamlessly into the workday. You may be asking yourself why you’d need a facilitator for something as simple as gameplay. Think of it as someone going to the gym for you. By taking the pressure off internal employees, organizational hierarchy disappears and we can access something more profound.
Our mission at Recess is to enact change in the culture of an organization through innovative activities designed to not only bring laughter and joy but to build, repair, and strengthen bridges of communication. Recess is a place to play, grow and build new friendships while strengthening old ones! If you want to boost morale and increase connectivity for your team, let Recess be a partner in that work.
