Play is both a tool of relaxation and stimulation. It is a very effective way to develop imagination, creativity,  problem-solving abilities as well as agile thinking. It is also very effective in rehabilitation. There can be many reasons for  play:  learning,  creating,  rehabilitation,  feeling a  challenge,  passing  time or calming down.

Play can be described as  time when we feel most alive. However,  play is not a luxury – it is a necessity for our physical, mental and social health. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes play as a flow state that requires just the right balance of challenge and opportunity. If the game is too hard or too easy, it loses its sense of pleasure and fun. Maintaining a flow state in games requires that participants, regardless of their age or ability, feel challenged but not overwhelmed.

Despite the power of play, somewhere at the beginning of  adulthood many of us stop playing. We exchange play for work and duties. But play can be stimulating at any age. It can be used for personal development and for professional development throughout life: in lifelong learning. There can be many lifelong benefits of play. Play connects us to others, fosters creativity, flexibility, and learning, it is an antidote to loneliness, isolation, anxiety, and depression, teaches us perseverance and makes us happy.