The Power of Play
By Jenna Dahlin
How duck-duck-goose became
a prescription in California
doctor's
offices
Nestled in the valley of Carmel, California, researchers Scott G Eberle and Stuart Brown unlocked an important idea that can help mitigate the post-pandemic, declining state of public and mental health; human beings, especially adults, must play more.
Erble, who’s been working on the ‘Power of Play’ concept for over 30 years at the National Institute for Play in Central California, published a new study in early May showing that play uniquely lights up areas in our brains that develop new means of thinking. Erble and other researchers found that play activates a process called neurogenesis where new neurons are generated in different areas of the brain. Plainly, this is big for public health — play can be used as an antidote to the mental health crises plaguing the U.S..
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What is the power of play?
The American Academy of Pediatrics published a study in 2018 that shows playing helps to stimulate the brain and connects neurons in ways school and other interactions do not. A ground-breaking concept termed the Power of Play (POP), the study found that through activities like make-believe, team sports, or legos, kids learn social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills. Play activities are even successful antidotes to toxic stress, mental conditions, and childhood trauma.
Dr. Jimerson and his "pop stars" conduct research at IV elementary
Dr. Shane Jimerson has carried out the Power of Play Project at UCSB for over a decade. What started as a group of ten undergraduates visiting IV Elementary at recess, has blossomed into a research project with over 150 students and promising results connecting play and improving the lives of children.
Santa Barbara organizations rooted in the doctrine of POP
the Sea League is an after-school and summer program that gets underprivileged kids involved with ocean sports like surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, and snorkeling, harnessing the power of play for potentially at-risk kids. The idea is that kids learn transferable skills like communication, relationship-building, goal-setting, resilience, and leadership. It goes a level deeper, activating different centers in the brain than in school.
About
Jenna Dahlin
Hello! I graduated from the UC Santa Barbara, with a major in Political Science and minor in Professional Writing, Journalism and certificate in Environmental Leadership.
Throughout my past 16 years of education, I've felt a natural gravitation toward writing and invested in my passion for journalism. In high school, I spent many late nights at paste-up and my free time in pursuit of stories. My time as a Copy and Sports Editor sparked inspiration and passion that I hadn't experienced in school before. As an undergrad, I continued to explore writing, whether it be through an internship in public relations, a multitude of writing courses, reporting for a local paper, or pursuing the public health beat for my minor capstone. ​
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