In this article, you will read about the effects of play on learning.
We start learning about the world by playing. Playing initially with the objects that surround us, with the sensations, with rules that we invent, and boundaries that we want to break. In that way, game after game, we grow our brains. We create connections and skills that allow us to be better equipped in life, and, not to forget, we have fun!
The positive effects of play on our human brains are not disappearing with aging. Only that we transform the way we think and connect to the idea of play. We want to be more like our adults, which often means being “more serious”, moving less, and being quieter. By the age of 7, many of us are already in the school system, exploring new ways to learn – through presentations, homework, repetition, reading, etc.
As valuable as those methods are, the studies show us clearly that we shouldn’t exclude play from learning!
What Happens in the Brain When We Play?
Neuroscience has firmly established that play is not just a way to pass the time — it’s a critical process that shapes brain development and function. When humans (and other mammals) engage in playful, embodied, and socially interactive experiences, powerful transformations occur in the brain:
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels increase, boosting learning capacity, memory retention, and neural regeneration.
- Neural connections in the prefrontal cortex—responsible for decision-making, social interaction, and cognitive flexibility—are strengthened.
- The limbic system, including the amygdala and striatum, becomes more regulated, allowing better emotional processing and relational bonding.
Research in animal behavior reinforces this point dramatically. Rats deprived of play during key developmental windows show impaired emotional regulation, reduced problem-solving abilities, and underdeveloped social skills in adulthood (Baarendse et al., 2013; Vanderschuren & Trezza, 2014). In contrast, rats given regular opportunities to play not only show greater plasticity in the medial prefrontal cortex, but also actively seek out environments where they previously experienced joy — a neurological indicator that play builds positive memory and motivational pathways (Trezza et al., 2009).
Play as a Pedagogical Powerhouse
Educational theorists have known for decades what modern neuroscience now confirms: people learn best when they are engaged, safe, and curious. From Vygotsky’s “Zone of Proximal Development” to Paulo Freire’s dialogical education, from Montessori classrooms to design thinking labs — the core mechanics of effective learning are rooted in active, playful exploration.
Play-based learning:
- Sparks intrinsic motivation and curiosity
- Creates a low-stakes environment where failure is feedback, not shame
- Strengthens long-term memory through multi-sensory engagement
- Enhances group cohesion and trust
- Trains critical thinking and creativity
- Fosters empathy and perspective-taking
According to a 2018 report from the LEGO Foundation, students engaged in playful learning show higher academic outcomes and improved emotional regulation compared to peers in more rigid, test-driven settings. Structured play balances freedom and boundaries to create a safe space for exploration.
Even in adult education and professional development, playful methods like simulation games, storytelling exercises, roleplay, and improvisation increase retention, participation, and post-workshop application.
The Psychological Functions of Play
Beyond learning, play is a psychological gateway — a way to regulate the nervous system, express the inexpressible, and rediscover parts of ourselves long buried.
British psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott called play the “location of the true self.” In the play space, we are free from perfectionism, performance, and productivity. We access our “inner child” — not in a regressive sense, but as a source of imagination, freedom, and embodied intelligence.
Play:
- Soothes stress and promotes nervous system regulation
- Encourages non-verbal expression, bypassing mental defenses
- Rebuilds trust in self, body, and relationships, especially after trauma
- Activates neuroception of safety (Porges, 2011), making connection possible
For trauma survivors or those with rigid coping strategies, play can be both the scariest and most necessary therapeutic intervention. It invites us to step out of hyper-vigilance, perfectionism, and control — and into presence, fluidity, and co-regulation.
Why Do We Stop Playing? The Cultural and Psychological Barriers
Every child, before developing other behaviours, strives to be a “good child”. This comes from the very basic human need to belong. Our first observations in the world allow us to learn what we need to do, be, and have in order to belong. Once we belong (to our tribe, family, group), we are safe, protected, and our chances for survival are better. And survival behaviours in human beings are the ones that have the highest priority.
Sometimes, the child learns from its caretakers and educators that when it plays, it creates negative emotions. For example, if a child plays and the caretakers are getting angry, saying “you are too loud”, or “can’t you just sit quietly like a normal child”. Sometimes the child learns that its caretakers are happier if it displays other behaviours, related to achievement and being “more adult”.
In that way, a child’s condition itself is that play is not important or even allowed in certain contexts. Sadly, the children don’t learn “play is bad”; they learn instead: “I am bad when I play” or simply “I am wrong.”
We stop playing when:
- We’re punished for being “too loud,” “too wild,” or “too sensitive.”
- Our worth is measured by performance, not presence
- Joy is seen as frivolous, and play is labeled “unproductive”
- Safety is absent, and the nervous system shifts into survival
Over time, these early wounds create adults who:
- Over-identify with their “serious” professional self
- Avoid vulnerability for fear of being judged or looking foolish
- Feel guilty for resting or enjoying something without measurable output
- Say things like, “I don’t know how to play” or “That’s just not me.”
This internalized shame around play is not trivial. It’s a block to connection, creativity, and embodied leadership. Without play, we become more anxious, more rigid, and less able to respond with flexibility to life’s ever-changing terrain.
Moreover, if we are forbidden to play, to challenge boundaries, and to express our rebel energy as kids and teenagers, later in life, this might lead our adult version to addictions, self-harm, and other destructive behaviors.
Sometimes we forbid ourselves to play, when we are afraid, as children, that by playing and being careless, we burden our parents, or if out of loyalty, we want to carry their burdens and grief.
Reclaiming the Power of Play
As educators, facilitators, and space-holders, we must normalize, prioritize, and protect play — not just for children, but for ourselves and our participants. In the act of playing, we remember who we are beyond roles. We build bridges across differences. We loosen the grip of fear. And we learn — not just about the world, but about each other.
In the next articles, we will share with you some concrete resources, such as books with games, movies, educational models, and others. However, if you don’t want to deepen your knowledge in that topic, you could already think about simple games and practices that will improve the energy, focus, connection, and aliveness of the groups you are working with.
Here are just a few examples:
- Start your educational sessions or workshops with short movement (stretching, dancing, an energizer) or visualization that will support learners to connect to their bodies and sensations and in that way improve their presence and awareness.
- During the session, offer a quick game that allows people to move their bodies, connect with each other and laugh. In that way, you will revitalize the group and improve their focus and attention.
- If the group is just now forming, play a few games for connection, so that people can allow themselves to be playful with each other, to touch each other and laugh together. This will reduce the social anxiety and rigidity in the group and will create space for joy and connection.
- Play is also in the environment. Arrange your learning spaces in ways that encourage creativity and movement. Place objects that will attract the curiosity of the learners and stimulate them to express themselves and create.
If you want to Go Deeper – here are some resources:
- Winnicott’s “Playing and Reality” – foundational work on the therapeutic function of play
- “Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul” – by Dr. Stuart Brown
- LEGO Foundation’s Research Reports on playful learning and education
- Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory on nervous system safety and play
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