Play

So let's skip over to myth number three.

Play must be unstructured.

Now, when I was a kid, I loved unstructured play.

I could go out to the backyard, play on the swing set, be as content as ever.

Now she's the CEO of the Grand Rapids Children's Museum and it's such a beautiful space and so many good times have been had here.

Your official title, I have to look it up, it says CEO of Play, but I think it should be CEO of Fun because every single time I've been here, I've seen more kids smiling, laughing, and learning about what play and what fun is and why we do this.

And it's really, it's probably one of the most magical places in Grand Rapids for kids.

Oh,

Maggie Lancaster can say it all she wants, but here is the data as to why they, at that point in their lives, should not be on a screen.

And it's very impactful.

Maggie Lancaster, CEO of the Green Abyss Children's Museum, CEO of Play and CEO of Fun, self-proclaimed by me.

Thank you for making such a fun place for everybody, for our community.

And then what you also realize, so there's the inner work side, but then on the external, the more you do this and the more you realize, "I didn't die," that's a little bit of ammo against that voice in your head saying, "No, no.

Play small.

Play small.

You're gonna die." It's like, "Yeah, I did it once.

I can do it again."

Welcome to Pondering Play and Therapy where we set out to explore the importance of play in our everyday lives and how this can also be therapeutic.

We'll be discussing our own experiences in the hope that others may ponder play

in

their

own lives too.

Welcome to this episode of Pondering Play and Therapy with me Julie and this week my very special guest Pete Ayling.

Hi Pete.

Hi, nice to be with you.

It is an acceptance of responsibility.

To design games is to accept that you are an architect of play.

Play itself is a slippery concept, which Shell defines as manipulation that satisfies curiosity.

It is an intrinsically motivated activity, driven by our biological and psychological need to explore, test boundaries, and make sense of the world.

When play is structured by rules and goals and bound by a safe space, it becomes a game.

If a mechanic cannot be made interesting on a tabletop with paper and cardboard, it is highly unlikely that advanced graphics or complex code will save it.

Once you have a playable prototype, you must playtest.

Playtesting is the ultimate reality check for any designer.

Thank you so much, Amaka.

So can you talk about your journey related to early learning and childcare? How did you come to be so passionate about play?

I would really like to say that my love for play began in my own childhood, right? Play holds a very special place in my heart because growing up, that was simply what we did.

We spent days outside and it's just what we did as children.

There were no interruptions from adults.

And so as someone who grew up in Nigeria myself, you know, Many of my childhood play experiences were deeply rooted in community, right? But also what I find most beautiful is what is shared across cultures.

So no matter where I have walked, I have seen children use play to make sense of their own world with what is present in that particular environment, their traditions and things like that.

So just like play in Nigeria, Play here in Alberta, Canada helps children to build relationships.