People Need Play: Why is Play Important?
It’s no secret that humans are the most evolved species on Earth. Incredibly, and probably not coincidentally, we’re also the most playful!
From Day One: Play as a Survival Tool
The benefits of play start right at birth. From the very beginning, caregivers begin the process of attunement, the dance of recognizing and responding to a baby’s needs. That process is play! Those first playful moments of eye contact, cooing, rocking, and back-and-forth connection help create the building blocks of a baby’s developing brain.
So if you’ve ever worried that you’re not doing “enough” to entertain your baby, take a breath. Your presence and connection are play! You’re helping them form vital neural pathways that support emotional regulation and social connection for the rest of their life.
Toddler and Preschool Years: Play Drives Growth
As kids grow into toddlerhood and preschool, play becomes even more essential. Fascinatingly, research shows that the drive to play is actually located in the survival parts of our brain. That’s right we’re wired to play. And this drive doesn’t just keep us alive; it helps us thrive.
Play during these early years helps grow and shape the cortex, the complex part of the brain responsible for decision-making, emotional intelligence, and learning. Kids who engage in robust, body-based, and social play build strong foundations for things like empathy, self-regulation, creativity, and critical thinking.
On the flip side, severe play deprivation during these stages has been linked to difficulty socializing, learning challenges, emotional instability, and poor self-care skills. Thankfully, opportunities for play are both abundant and biologically driven — it’s what kids want to do. Our job is to support and make space for it.
Movement, Emotions, and the Brain-Body Connection
Play also engages the whole body. Whether it’s a baby kicking their legs, a toddler climbing, or a preschooler playing tag, these movements aren’t just fun, they’re setting up multiple body systems for lifelong wellness.
Here’s what movement-based play can do:
Lower stress and raise emotional regulation (thank you, endorphins!)
Reduce cortisol levels (which means less felt stress)
Strengthen focus and processing through increased neural wiring
Boost balance, which supports emotional stability
Connect both brain hemispheres for stronger learning and resilience
Deepen the body-brain connection
Support healthy sensory integration
Provide an outlet for big feelings
Build confidence, self-awareness, and a sense of boundaries
Strengthen empathy and social bonds
All of this happens through play.
The Social-Emotional Magic of Complex Play
As children grow, play becomes more social and nuanced. And with that comes a huge expansion of emotional and cognitive skills.
Through both free and semi-structured play, kids learn how to:
Think critically
Set and respect boundaries
Use coping strategies
Problem-solve
Express and regulate emotions
Be resilient, creative, and flexible
Belong and help others feel that too
All of this development is possible because play literally reshapes the brain. It multiplies neural connections, transforming a survival-driven brain into one rich with curiosity, creativity, and connection.
And Yes, Adults Need Play Too
Play doesn’t end with childhood, it just changes form. The neural networks built through childhood play are still activated every time we play as adults.
Whether it’s hiking, painting, playing games, joking around with friends, or even dancing in your kitchen, adult play reignites empathy, creativity, perseverance, social connection, and joy.
Without it, we can start to feel disconnected, rigid, and burnt out. But the good news? You can brain-hack your way back into emotional and social wellbeing by making space for even just a little bit of play.
So — how do you play?
Allyssa Staker, MS, PCLC
Resources
What We Know So Far. (n.d.). National Institute for Play. https://nifplay.org/play-science/summary-of-key-findings/
Wheeler, S. S., & Walker, C. S. 2025. Strong Kids, Strong Futures: 8 Science-Based Parenting Strategies for Raising Resilient Kids Who Navigate Stress, Build Emotional Intelligence, and Thrive in an Unpredictable World. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=TJBSEQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT7&dq=how+big+body+movement+in+kids+creates+emotional+intelligence&ots=8F8fAaRJJO&sig=LhnKS7fSUFSC_irHb6ydUz6hmhg#v=onepage&q=how%20big%20body%20movement%20in%20kids%20creates%20emotional%20intelligence&f=false