Stuart speaks at the Serious Play conference in this TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) video.
Archive for March, 2009
TED Video
Monday, March 23rd, 2009Amazing dolphin bubble play
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009These dolphins blow bubble rings, then put their heads through them or flick them with their snouts to chop them into smaller rings or expand them. It seems the dolphins also show off, learn from each other and sometimes chomp the bubble ring for fun.
Forgot the punchline? Why jokes are hard to remember
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009Natalie Angier writes in the NYT about why jokes affect us so much but are hard to remember. She says it has to do with the fact that easy-to-remember things like jingles reinforce patterns already in the brain, whereas jokes are powerful because they break or subvert patterns, which makes it harder for the brain to slot the joke into memory.
Free-Range Kids
Monday, March 16th, 2009Posted by Chris
Most of us past the age of 30 grew up in a world that we mostly explored at will. We were asked (told!) to “go outside and play” with only the requirement that we be back before dark or back before dinner. We explored nearby fields and streams, built things, and learned about our own skill and proclivities. Kids now have much more structured lives, the result being that they miss chances to construct the narrative of their own lives.
Lenore Skenazy, a columnist who once unwittingly unleashed a scandal by letting her 9-year-old son ride on the New York Subway alone, talks about all this in the posted introduction to her book: “Free Range Kids: Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts with Worry.”
NY Tour: The Takeaway
Friday, March 13th, 2009Yesterday Stuart sat down with John Hockenberry to discuss “America’s #1 Prescription: Play” on the NPR program, The Takeaway.
Read about it and find the link to listen here.
Smart Doodling
Thursday, March 12th, 2009Here is a great story about how doodling–a seemingly pointless, enjoyable activity (the essence of play)–actually makes the brain function better.
A Presidential Doodle
How The Book Was Published
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009Here is a little edu-film about how a book like Play goes from manuscript to bookstore. If you know anything about book publishing, you will find this take amusing. This little film from the folks at McMillan is a nice example of using play and humor to deal with the little difficulties and frustrations of publishing, work that most do because they love books.
Dog and Cat Play
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009This is a good video of a dog and cat playing, and a great illustration of handicapping: the dog is much bigger and stronger than the cat, but lies down to bring himself down to the cat’s size. Neither animals uses their full strength.
Nature’s Edge TV segment
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009Great roundup and introduction to play on this Nature’s Edge ABC news segment.