What is Play?

What is Play?

Yijing Lu

When I am reading that part of the definition of “play” in Critical Play by Mary Flanagan, many experience and ideas of my trips to Philadelphia jump into my brain. I never tried to make any relationship between my experience of play and theories from books before. However, I have to admit that it is exciting and meaningful to combine some definitions and actions to achieve something new of feedback.

  “Play is a notoriously difficult concept to define; it is a culturally and socially specific idea.”

  I agree with this opinion. “Play” is an abstract word that can be considered as games of various sorts, or can be treated as kinds of actions for fun. In this sentence above, the author mentions “culturally” and “socially”, and I want to add one more word “personally”, because in my opinion, “play” can be defined by every individuals. For example, playing piano can be a kind of “play” for people who are good at or enjoy it, but it also can be a kind of torment for a poor girl who is compelled to learn piano by her strict mother. In other words, if you like, everything can be a kind of playing --working can be a kind of playing, because you may get a sense of achievement; studying can be a kind of playing, because you may enrich your knowledge; reading can be a kind of playing, because you may widen your horizon; and, even sleeping can be a kind of playing, because you may have an amazing dream!

  During both of my trips to Philadelphia, which were both at weekend, I noticed that so many people were playing in the city by their own ways. In my eyes, the people who were sitting in the library and reading the books that they were interested in were playing with the sea of books; the people who were walking on the grassland and breathing the fresh air were playing with the nature; the people who were shopping with their best friends in the markets were playing just like in the computer game “Finding Treasures” with teammates; and, of course, there were also children who were playing games with their parents in the magic gardens, which could be considered as the usual understanding of “play”.

  “Play is an integral and vital part of mental development and learning, and playful activities are essential aspects of learning and creative acts.”

  When I read this sentence, I think about the view of the Moore College of Art and Design, a college with galleries I visited during my first trip in center city, which the pictures I inserts shows-- such art works are all made by students in the College. Watching their works, I could even image the frames, in which, they not only developed their skills of art creation, but also had fun by playing with the art materials.

  The first picture I insert is an artwork made of paper cards, which may be considered as a kind of interior design. I was amazed when I found this little room, because I felt the room was full of creativity and imagination. By cutting and assemble the pieces of picture of monsters, the artist successfully created a wonderland just like some scenes in cartoon movies. As far as I concerned, the process of creating this work can be considered as a playful activity and creative acts.

  Actually, I also found an amazing mosaic during my first trip instead of the trip to the magic gardens. I show it in my second picture—a wall of art works by students in that college. Every piece of that mosaic is fabric work, and represents different inspiration and art style, which combine into a mosaic of playful arts. My favorite one has been showed in my third picture, a vase of flowers. Different fabrics with different patterns turned into flowers, vase and the background, and I guess the artist really enjoyed the whole process of creating.

  Combining my experience of my two trips to Philadelphia and the content of the book, I feel some of the meaning of “play”, only “some” but it is very interesting and exciting. I am looking forward my third trip to the city and explore more new things and surprises.