A short but engaging look at why play is so important for people of all ages and how it can help us become better, more creative adults.

In Play, Marc Malmdorf Andersen argues that playing is not just for kids and the young at heart. He explains how it is something of a scientific process, and how tinkering with one hare-brained idea after another can help us become better, more creative adults. When we play, we develop trust and intimacy, solve problems, and explore our own minds and the world around us. Malmdorf Andersen charts the evolution of play and evaluates the research in developmental psychology and biology that supports his claim. By defining different types of play, he reveals the close relationships between play and learning and between creativity and innovation.

Reflections

In Reflections, a series copublished with Denmark's Aarhus University Press, scholars deliver 60-page reflections on a key concept that encapsulates their years of study and research. These books present unique insights on a wide range of topics and concepts—everything from love, trust, and play to corruption, welfare, and sleep—that entertain and enlighten readers with exciting discoveries and new perspectives.

Marc Malmdorf Andersen (AARHUS, DK) is an associate professor at the School of Culture and Society at Aarhus University.