Play Vs. Imagination Paper

“If play can exist purely in the imagination, why do toys and game exist at all?”

        To understand this question, we must first understand what play is. With so many definitions, one may never fully understand but in an effort to utilize the day better, (a play on words) I will use my definition that I have gathered from my course. Play is the ability for one to step out of their comfort zone and become and do ‘other’ than the norm. By this I mean, randomly tapping your pencil is not an activity considered to be ‘in the norm.’ Or spinning around to get dizzy is not is not an activity considered to be ‘in the norm.’ Acting like someone else, is not an activity considered to be ‘in the norm.’ But when we are doing all these things, we are stepping out of the norm for entertainment purposes and satisfying our play needs.

        A lot, maybe the majority of the time, play does exist purely in our imagination. So what would be the need for additional fixed objects to utilize in play? I think one main reason why we have our personal toy (brain) to play with and inanimate objects (toys and games), because there has to be a balance to a certain extent. Well, let’s examine children for example. Children, possibly have the most active imaginations there are, so what would the immediate need for toys and games for them be? Kids can go hours on end playing strictly through imagination, whether it be “make believe”, or just dreaming of the different possibilities of our future (even as adults we still do this one from time to time.) But simulation inanimate play allows children to get a hand on scope on what they are playing with. In our minds, we can’t hold on to what we are playing with. So it’s easily accomplished to forget our games or ideas. But when we can channel these ideas and games to reality, we can hold on to them longer or have them there whenever we want them. For example, a person can sit and imagine playing sports after school and how much fun it can be, or even what fun they would have ‘clobbering’ their frat brother during a game. With the actual game, in reality that same person can take those thoughts and get out of class and go play that actual game and clobber his frat brother for no apparent reason, but enjoy the play all together.