“Play will be to the 21st century what work was to the industrial age — our dominant way of knowing, doing & creating value.” ~Pat Kane, displayed at the New York City’s Museum of Modern Art.
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Are you feeling playful today?
I bet you are annoyed that I asked;) Am I right? I’m sure your “to-do” list is a mile long and the last thing you are feeling is playful.
I am with you! I completely understand, I do. As an adult (well, for most of us), it is hard to get into a mindset of playfulness.
I am always amazed by kids. They are full of energy and so playful. There is joy in their playfulness. Work, play and art are intertwined seamlessly. Have you ever stopped to observe a child on the playground? Their imagination and creativity soars. They create new games instantly. A twig becomes something new and an adventure ensues. Singing, drama, dance, and art melt into a tapestry of creativity, experimentation and play. It’s quite beautiful.
We lose this playfulness as we get older. We become serious, consumed with expectations and find ourselves with too little time to play.
As a society I think we have some misconceptions about play. Play and leisure ARE NOT the same thing. Read that one more time.
Play is ACTIVE where leisure is passive. Play is an approach to life: a way of being, living and interacting.
Play creates innovation, creativity, mental agility, spontaneity and empathy. The wit and mental agility of a comedian is incredible because they approach life, work and relationships with a playful spirit. A willingness to experiment and be spontaneous.
The great philosophers believed “play” to be the experience of being an active, creative and fully autonomous person.
Being playful is not a “silly” or “useless” pursuit. Play is necessary in order to reach our full potential and to be deeply fulfilled. Quite simply; play is fun and enjoyable. Play centres our passions.
Innovation would not be possible without experimentation, play and the willingness to take risks.
The most prolific authors, composers, artists and inventors began with an idea that needed to be played and experimented with. Play made room for iteration and thoughtful reflection.
Beethoven did not hear Symphony No. 9 in his head in its polished and finished state, write it down on paper and VOILA! He had an idea and he PLAYED with it. He actively pursued it with curiosity and creativity. It took Beethoven two years to write this particular symphony. I can guarantee that there was a lot of play and experimentation during those years. It was an ACTIVE pursuit, not a leisurely pastime.
In a recent interview, John Legend shared that he creates “mumble tracks” as melodic lines and ideas come to him. He mumbles the melodic ideas into his phone and then he plays with them; adding lyrics and instrumental lines as he finds inspiration. These mumble tracks are the foundation of his “legendary” work (see what I did there!).
Why am I focusing on play?
Well, for one, I am embracing a spirit of willingness this year. A willingness to embrace play, creativity and experimentation.
Secondly, I believe that PLAY needs to be at the forefront of arts education.
Without play, the arts are contrived and stagnant. They lack imagination, creativity and ACTION.
On several occasions I have had parents say to me, “They just play around at the piano. I can’t get them to practice”. To which my response is, “Fantastic. Encourage it.” (Then I wait for the confused look.)
“Playing around” at the piano is not useless, idle time. Important work is happening in these moments. Children are experimenting with sounds, tone quality, touch, weight, pitch, rhythm, composition, dexterity, mental agility, storytelling and the list goes on. This is not a waste of time. These are valuable moments of curiosity and discovery. These are active moments that cannot be “taught” in a formal setting. These actions need to be realized to be meaningful to a child.
Let your child PLAY at the piano. As long as they are respecting the instrument, this is important work they are doing. It is an ACTIVE pursuit that is developing key skills, meaning and empathy.
This enjoyable and delightful experience will lead to a passion for music and a curiosity for deeper understanding and knowledge. Don’t underestimate the power of play!
Play is when we feel the most free (and happy). We all need and desire the freedom to play.
Let your child play at the piano (or with their voice, or guitar, or painting). Allow them to engage their imagination and curiosity. It will only improve their artistry (and they will eventually want to get practising so that they can develop their skills even deeper).
Here are a few takeaways that I encourage you to consider:
- Prioritize activities for yourself, your children and your family that are pleasurable, imaginative and voluntary.
- Be willing to play. Make time in your schedule for play and encourage your children to play too. Less screen time, more tinkering:)
- Place your passions at the centre of your daily life and see what happens! Especially your artistic passions – there is a richness here.
Alright, now get out there in the snow and play!
Keep singing,
Xo
Andrea “passions-centred” Donais
“Creativity takes courage.” ~Henri Matisse