Play

Play is one of the most celebrated activities in life, and a complex, fascinating, and disputed phenomenon. Because of the great variation in expressions and forms of play, definitions of play are hard to agree upon. Play research is interdisciplinary and engages various domains in and across disciplines of psychology, biology, philosophy, sociology, cultural and evolutionary anthropology. These varied approaches are often reflected in the questions we ask to play. When play is conceptualized as a separate category of behavior and activity it raises questions such as: why do we play? What functions may play serve for development, for learning for existence, and for culture? What is play, and what are the boundaries between play and not-play? When play is conceptualized as a mode of being, communicating and way of approaching the world it raises other questions: How do we get in a playful mood? What happens to the players and our sense of self and reality when playing?