In Praise of Play

Ian Taylor is a good friend, and he likes his games. Maybe it’s a British thing or maybe Ian is just the competitive sort, I’m not sure. He was my first good friend in Aix-en-Provence, some 16 years ago, crossing paths at Collège Mignet as our kids prepared for junior-high. Many a rosé-splashed afternoon followed, time well wasted in his cottage garden playing pétanque, darts, ping-pong, or something pulled from a deep box of board and card games.

Ian, I just want to sit in the Provence sun and get a slow, easy buzz on. What are talking about old bean, let’s get a game going! Sigh.

Ian is on to something: playing games offers deep benefits beyond just good fun, especially when enjoyed with friends. Forming teams and facing off builds the bonds and plants the memories that linger long after an evening ends, or a life in Provence fades. Some impromptu pétanque matches chez Ian were legendary, his French neighbors dangerously skilled at this Mediterranean obsession. (The Italians play bocci. Same game, different drinks.) No one takes the affable pick-up game seriously au debut; everyone is boisterously invested with taunts and praise à la fin. The rosé helps.

A summer afternoon pétanque match in Provence. The sporty Ian Taylor 3rd from left.

We allow ourselves to outgrow game playing, and this is our loss. It’s known to spur creativity, strengthen social connections, stimulate cognitive functions, and produce joy; all positive elements of longer, healthier lifespans.

How can I be sure? Mattel Corporation (of Barbie and Hot Wheels fame) has studied the health benefits of play and produced a fascinating report on its merits. They interviewed over 33 thousand people of all ages and confirmed, statistically, what we’ve always suspected: games and play feel good to us because they are good for us.

Findings from the Mattel study on the merits of play. (Go to the study for a more readable image.)

This is all particularly relevant now, at this moment of phone screen social detachment and analog estrangement. For boomers, playtime provides a grounding rod to our earlier, earthier selves. We slow down and touch real objects, we share physical space, we josh and encourage, we get gloriously excited and giddy; just like our old kid selves. For everyone regardless of age, playtime provides a relaxation ritual in an accelerating world (quoting from the Mattel study). So very true.

It is encouraging to see young people embracing the joy of play as well. Board game cafes are booming across the US and abroad (more about that here) as people chose to turn off their phones and engage with friends across a table. The Game Parlour in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset offers over 100 tabletop options, plus drinks and food. It can pack out on many evenings, with reservations required. You might even spot my son Jess there, who loves board games and lives in the neighborhood.

We don’t all play in the same way or seek the same reward. Mattel submits that there are 6 play personalities, as outlined below. The labels alone may reveal your type. Refer to the report linked above to learn more about each. Regardless of our individual motivations, the benefits are mutual as the dices roll and the cards are flipped.

Mattel’s 6 play personalities.

“Games create a field of trust, safety, love, and empathy.” Couldn’t we use a bit more of that at this moment in time? Maybe a global summit held in Ian’s Provence garden? Okay boys (and the warmongers are ALWAYS boys), choose your teams and grab your boules, …. pétanque boules that is. Now, where’s that corkscrew?