THE PLAY FOUNDATION

        to the philosophical, psychological, emotional, social, and physical aspects of Play.

The Fifth Society

                           Hunter /stone age       agricultural        industrial         Information       The Fifth Society

                                11000 BC               8000 bc.           1750                     1970                 2005

What to build     experience             experience            capital            book knowledge         fantasy

Society on.

How to

cooperate               group                  family                  heirarchy              heirarchy              network    

Who is

the Hero            the elders          family father               business            academics            storyteller

How and

where to meet   The bonfire         the farm                  the factory          konference hotel       internet 

What bonds 

people together   rituals               the family                 work                        work                        play

translated from Jørn Martin Steenhold           

In future societies, play and creativity will be an integrated form where experimental knowledge will be one of the most important resources – and such knowledge will spread throughout by their good example

 Play is one of the greatest of life’s existential experiments, that we, from the very small, live together with others and enjoy being with others in one form or another, who we love and hold dear, and play together with.  We are born with a social instinct, and this we experiment with through play.

 The world of play is rich in content, with thousands of dreams, stories, subjects and environments. It is here where play, plays such a vital role into how we learn and understand what is happening within and around us.  Play is the most direct way to build relationships to others.

The child creates their own example and understanding of how to live life  by being occupied concentrated and curious, through play. The child’s own understanding of the world shall also coordinate  in relationship with others, and this is a life project.

 It is a beautiful and human condition that we can adjust our way of being according to different people we meet in various circumstances and environments, and we learn how to do this, primarily through play. We as adults can benefit greatly by rediscovering this world of play, a rich world we have forgotten about.

 Childrens curiosity is optimised during play. They use play to find out about others and to show and express themselves. In play they interact in exchange with others in a natural environment where there is a mutual giving and receiving of love and affection.

During the course of play there always comes something new out from it. Something happens, something exciting, or an important thing is learned, created, discovered or invented.During play children find out quickly at some of these things repeat themselves during play. The process of play, is explained  in the following;

 At one point or another during the act of play, the child recognises if the play is good or bad, if it should continue or stop (plays condition)

 There usually is a situation in play where one will be in disagreement with one thing or another, come up againt one another over handling or rules, who decides, what shall we do etc.  (plays conflict).

 At certain intervals during play there comes the experience that everything is so good, exciting and fun, so much so that one  forgets oneself and becomes “high” during play. A wave of ecstatic feelings comes over one  (plays ecstasy)

 Competition develops during play, consciously or unconsciously. One is playing with others or  oneself, and is competing  against others or oneself, to do things better, to challenge oneslf to be better and more grounded. It is also a friendly way to fight.to challenge ( plays challenge)

 During play, one begins to earn a talent for it, a kind of conquering and mastering over things or situation.  One clearly learns to master, to achieve results (plays Mastering)

 Sometimes it can happen where play can take place in an atmosphere which does not pass to that particular play.  Sometimes a play which shall be relaxing an quiet can end up being wild, while a wild play can end up being still. Sometimes it is fun, sometimes it is not. (plays order and chaos)

At other times it is important to show how the whole play shall take place, and this is also a learning process around play.  It becomes important to show, explain, demonstrate and present things to others one is playing with.  (plays presentation and/or demonstration)

 There are always limitations and frameworks into how the play shall take place.  We shall accept the rules and stick to them, until we find some other rules. Even though it is ourselves who decide how thing will take place during play, we shall be in agreement  regarding the framework and rules (Plays discipline)

There are various frameworks under which we can play.  Anything is possible and open for suggestion.  We can even give ourselves place that we are open to whatever happens during play.  We can have very strict rules, or change them all the time. (plays form/ structure)

Finally there is the time and the space and  room in which play takes place.  It depends on the length of time it takes.  We can also play that we are in another time, (Past and future).  The space in which is available to play is also flexible, to a whole area in nature, to a garden or a room, even a table or a space in you head. (Plays time and space)