An interactive presentation on the science and psychology of Play and why Play enables adults, not just children, to live happily ever after

1. Unleash Your Play Brain
Play your way towards a happier adulthood
with Portia Tung

2. “All growth is
a spontaneous unpremeditated leap in the dark
without prior knowledge or experience”
Bruce Dickinsom paraphrasing Henry Miller

3. Play Safe

4. “Play once a day to keep the doctor and priest away!”
www.theschoolofplay.org
Portia Tung
Founder of The School of Play
Promoting happier adulthood through lifelong play

6. Play for Life
As a play seeker/play skeptic*
I need ideas on how to play more
So that we can all live happily ever after.
Success Criteria
[ ] I have a working knowledge of play
[ ] I can explain the importance of play
[ ] I have one or more ideas to play more
[ ] I’ve had fun!
* You choose

8. Part 1: Play

9. Part 1: Play
Part 2: Brain

10. Part 1: Play
Part 2: Brain
Part 3: Future

11. Part 1: Play

12. Welcome to the Play Assessment…

13. “Play or Nay!”

14. Play or Nay?

15. Play or Nay?

16. Play or Nay?

17. Play or Nay?

18. Play or Nay?

19. Play or Nay?

20. Computer says…
Play on!

21. Most common questions asked
Why should I play?
Is it OK for me to play?

22. Counterplay 2017

23. Seemingly purposeless
Voluntary
Inherent attraction
Time flies by
Reduces sense of self-consciousness
Potential for improvisation
Desire to keep going
Stuart Brown M.D.,
Founder of the National Institute of Play
Play is…

24. What is play really?
Fun, Flexible, Freely chosen

25. Why play?
Shapes an organism’s brain
Makes animals smarter and more adaptable
Enables us to sustain social relationships
Fuels creativity and innovation

26. When was the last time you played?
The XP Game - Boston, Summer 2010
www.xpgame.be by Pascal Van Cauwenberghe and Vera Peeters
When was the last time you played ……at work?

27. Play Seeker or Play Skeptic?
low high
lowhigh
KNOWHOW
DESIRE
[3]
Can play
Won’t play
[1]
Can play
Want to play
[4]
Can’t play
Won’t play
[2]
Can’t play
Want to play
Play Seeker Play Skeptic Quadrant by Portia Tung

28. What’s the opposite of play?

30. The Opposite of Play
Play
Creativity & Innovation
Invention Growth
Work
Purpose Competence
Play as described in “Play“ by Stuart Brown, M.D, with Christopher Vaughan
© 2010 Penguin Books Ltd

31. SUPERHANDZ
presents…

32. The Opposite of Play
Play
Creativity & Innovation
Invention Growth
Work
Purpose Competence
Play as described in “Play“ by Stuart Brown, M.D, with Christopher Vaughan
© 2010 Penguin Books Ltd
[3]
Can play
Won’t play
[1]
Can play
Want to play
[4]
Can’t play
Won’t play
[2]
Can’t play
Want to play
Depression

33. Why should adults play?
Breaks down barriers between people
Opens the mind to enable learning
Opens the heart to create a connection
Source of joy
Source of hope

34. “People who play together stay together.”
Portia Tung

35. 5 – 10 mins of play per day
1 day of play lasts up to a week
Little and often
Your Recommended Daily Amount of Play

36. Part 2: Brain

38. The Psychological Mind
“The Chimp Paradox” by Prof Steve Peters
www.chimpmanagement.com

39. Tell us about your favourite childhood toy

40. Have fun with your chimp
Name your chimp
Spot your chimp
Play with your chimp
Nurture your chimp
Love your chimp

41. Part 3: Future

42. The History of Play
Play == Evil
476AD - 1500
John Locke
Anti-corporal
punishment
1700
3 Rs
1825

43. Outdated View of Human Intelligence
1825

44. The History of Play
Play == Evil
476AD - 1500
John Locke
Anti-corporal
punishment
1700
3 Rs
1825
Lego
1932
IQ
1916
Multiple
Intelligences
1983

45. Multiple Intelligences
P l a y I n t e l l i g e n c e

46. The History of Play
Play == Evil
476AD - 1500
John Locke
Anti-corporal
punishment
1700
3 Rs
1825
Lego
1932
IQ
1916
Multiple
Intelligences
1983
EQ
1990
Dr Stuart
Brown
2010
Play IQ
2014

47. Meta-Intelligence of Human Intelligence
P l a y I n t e l l i g e n c e

48. The History of Play
Play == Evil
476AD - 1500
John Locke
Anti-corporal
punishment
1700
3 Rs
1825
Lego
1932
IQ
1916
Multiple
Intelligences
1983
EQ
1990
Dr Stuart
Brown
2010
Play IQ
2014
The School
of Play
2016

49. Lifelong Learning
Understanding
The Play Process Model by Scott Eberle, VP for interpretation at the Strong Museum of Play in New York
Anticipation
“The Curiosity Carousel” by Portia Tung
www.theschoolofplay.org
Surprise Pleasure
Mastery Poise

50. Your Play Future
Suppose tonight, while you slept, a miracle occurred.
When you awake tomorrow, what would be some of the things
you would notice that would tell you that your life had suddenly
become more playful?
Adaption of the Miracle Question by Steve de Shazer & Insoo Kim Berg,
Developers of Solution Focused Therapy

51. “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play
than in a year of conversation. ”
George Bernard Shaw

52. Play for Your Life
• Opposite of Play == Depression
• RDA Play 10-15 minutes a day
• Play with your chimp
• Play more at home and at work
• Develop your play intelligence
little and often
• All play!

53. Play Treasure Trove
Ted talks:
Play is more than just fun by Dr Stuart Brown
How Schools Kill Creativity by Ken Robinson
Enterprise Gardening by Portia Tung
More videos:
http://www.playwales.org.uk/eng/rightoplay
The Power of Play: Making Good Teams Great by Portia Tung
The School of Play
www.theschoolofplay.org
@tsoplay

54. Play for Life
As a play seeker/play skeptic*
I need ideas on how to play more
So that we can all live happily ever after.
Success Criteria
[ ] I have a working knowledge of play
[ ] I can explain the importance of play
[ ] I have one or more ideas to play more
[ ] I’ve had fun!
* You choose

55. “We don’t stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing.”
George Bernard Shaw
From Carpe Diem to Carpe Annum – Put a Swing in Your Step
@ Tate Modern January 2018

56. Thank You for Playing!
Portia Tung
Executive & Personal Coach – Agile Coach – Play Researcher
Blog: www.selfishprogramming.org | Twitter: portiatung
Founder of www.theschoolofplay.org @tsoplay
Email: portia@portiatung.org