Celebrating the Universality of Play: A Shared Essence

In the exploration of play, both in humans and animals, a profound connection emerges, revealing a shared essence of playfulness. The more we delve into the study of play, the more evident it becomes that there is no real divide between us and our animal counterparts. We share a common ground in play:

Chasing, Rough and Tumble, Climbing: Humans and animals alike exhibit a penchant for activities such as chasing, rough and tumble play, and climbing, demonstrating shared patterns of play behavior.

Playing Games and Collecting Treasures: The inclination to play games and collect treasures transcends species, illustrating a common thread in playful behavior.

Emotionally Uplifting Union of Play Spirits: Observing play in animals reveals an emotionally uplifting union of play spirits, emphasizing the deep instinctive and fundamental need for play.

This shared playfulness challenges the notion that the urge to play is solely a learned behavior originating from “higher centers.” Instead, it reflects a profound instinctive and essential biological need embedded in our subcortical brain, mirroring the play behavior observed in other mammals. Play, far from being confined to developmental stages, emerges as a lifelong enriching force that nourishes and connects us throughout the entire human life cycle. As we unravel the science behind play, a new landscape emerges, highlighting the myriad ways in which play behavior contributes to the holistic well-being of humans. In honoring play and playfulness, we recognize a timeless and universal aspect of our shared existence.