See how children's brain develops . . . .

Take a look at children's growing brains in an interactive model . . . . http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/15/health/20080915-brain-development.html 

What is Play Rochester?

Play Rochester ~ Purpose ~ 

To strengthen the role of play in order to build strong foundations of physical and social development and mental health; to encourage Rochester NY to host a national conference such as the Institute of Play or the International Play Association http://ipaworld.org as Rochester is the home of the National Museum of Play/Strong Museum; to highlight experts in children's play and its expression such as Dr. Brian Sutton-Smith, First Lady Michelle Obama ~ Let's Move; photographer Steve McCurry; and to build relationships with area agencies and institutions which support safe children's play; to work to reveal the role of photography plays to express the essence of play to wider audiences; and to support the experience of play in playgrounds, parks and backyards.


Contact ~ playrochester@gmail.com


Facebook ~ https://www.facebook.com/play.rochester


Blog ~ http://playrochesternow.blogspot.com


Twitter ~ https://twitter.com/PlayRochester

Dr. Brian Sutton-Smith, Professor of Play

Just about the most fascinating thinker and writer and historian of children's play and its implications in child and brain development ever! His papers have been donated to the National Museum of Play/Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at the Strong Museum in Rochester NY. In his book, The Ambiguity of Play [1997 Harvard Univ. Press], he focuses on play's "quirkiness, redundancy and flexibility suggesting that play might provide a model of the variability that allows for natural selection. As a form of mental feedback, play might nullify the rigidity that sets in after successful adaptation, thus reinforcing animal and human variability."  This sweeping theory is an incredible contribution to human development, neuroscience and an understanding of the human condition. ~ Barbara Carder

NY Times Magazine 2008 examines "Taking Play Seriously"

a must-read

Exploring the 'state of play'

Photo by Vo Anh Kiet via thefavweb