Play & Playfulness

This session is the third of five introductory sessions for a Small Group. Members are encouraged to think about play and playfulness, both as a child and as an adult. The session also includes 10 minutes in which members form groups of two or three and play active games (clapping games; rock, paper scissors; thumb wrestling, etc.).

For another perspective on play and laughter, see the session Laughter, Humor, Joy.

Member Preparation

In preparation for this session, take some time read some of the following quotes on play, and to think about times in your life when you really got to play.

"It is a happy talent to know how to play." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"We all know that play is fun, even joyful. It refreshes and energizes us. For centuries, thoughtful observers have recognized play as a central element of life, throughout life…In play our burdens feel lighter and we are opened to new possibilities. But play goes even deeper – it shapes our brains to make us smarter and more able to adapt in novel situations; and this happens for all players, old and young." – The National Institute for Play

"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." - Plato

"Playing around is a good and holy thing. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise. It enables us to express ourselves creatively, to use our intuition and imagination, to savor pleasure and the lightness of being, and to make our humble contribution to the unfinished masterpiece of the world." - Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spiritual Literacy

"Play keeps us vital and alive. It gives us an enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable. Without it, life just doesn't taste good." - Lucia Capocchione

"Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play." - Heraclitus

These questions provide ways you may want to approach this topic. Remember to focus on just one or two of the questions, if you choose to use them, as this will allow you to explore the topic in more depth.

  • Tell us about one of your favorite memories of playing as a child. How did you play—alone, with friends, on a team? What did you play—make-believe, games, sports? Do you think how and what you played represent who you were as a child? Who you are today?
  • Do you still play as an adult? If you don’t, what keeps you from playing? If you do, how do you play now? Has it changed from how you played as a child?
  • The readings suggest that there are many reasons to value play—keeping us young, using our intuition and imagination, helping us adapt and thrive. What benefits, if any, has play brought to your life? Do you feel the readings ascribe too much value to play?
  • To paraphrase Heraclitus, do we become more fully ourselves through play? Do you feel that you are closer to your “true self” when you play? What do you feel that you have learned about another person when you’ve played together? What haven’t you been able to learn about someone this way?
  • Has playing ever become a spiritual experience for you? How? Can or should spirituality or religion be playful?

Special Materials

  • Name tags and marker(s).
  • Ground rules written out on a large piece of paper or poster board, to be posted on the wall.
  • Copies of the Classic Hand Games Handout

Further Exploration