For years, I’ve talked to people about the value of playing make-believe as a kid.
Growing up, I invited friends from the neighborhood to my tree house. It became a yacht navigating the world’s oceans, a spaceship taking us to distant stars, the headquarters of a vast network of spies, and a temporary home in the jungle during our countless adventures there.
We changed the rules of games like hide-and-seek and made snow forts in the winter. No adults hovered over us; we had the opportunity to just play.
Yesterday, on LinkedIn, I found this video on social negotiation. It perfectly captures another way of looking at the value of free play. Watching it, I couldn’t help saying, “Yes, Esther Perel gets it!”
Most kids today (at least in the United States) play sports and participate in other structured activities. Most of their time is scheduled. They do not have nearly as much time to engage in free play as I did. They do not play make-believe enough.
While the world has changed in many positive ways, I mourn this particular loss. As a society, we need creative people who can connect with others.
Esther Perel includes more of her thoughts on the topic here. The way she promotes this topic is another reason she continues to inspire me.
How can we bring back more opportunities for free play?
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