Photo by Derek Truninger  on Unsplash We can’t help but gravitate towards the reduction of the human experience into metrics; how many steps we walk, calories we burn, watching our sleep cycles and logging mood, but being human goes beyond the rigidity of structure, further than efficiency, measuring outcomes and evidence-based prescriptions. As a species, humanity doesn’t just function, it feels , we sing and dance and listen. What if, before the science of health, we alread

photo by Vladimir Fedotov  on Unsplash How is a strength of character established? Where does it come from? According to research, play is a fundamental factor in developing character strengths, also known as the virtues that positive psychology believes underpin wellbeing. For adults, it’s not usually the most instinctive direction to take, but playfulness may be central to a ‘good’ life, and it is evidenced that play is a pillar of both ethical and psychological thriving. F

photo by Xavi Cabrera  on Unsplash There is a  lot  of discussion around child development; how to optimise learning, track milestones, and give children the best possible start in life. And yet, one of the key components of integrative and meaningful development is still being missed: unstructured, unassuming play. It’s naturalistic, it’s human, and it’s something all children do without prompting, and why? Because it’s one of the most poignant intrinsic developmental system

Photo by Drini Teta  on Unsplash What is the historical backstory of play? As lifestyles changed with modern times, so did the essence of playfulness. Looking back at our ancestors, it appears that play has been around as long as humans have existed, so… why? In hunter-gatherer societies, it is suggested, the use of play was a powerful social architecture; one that shaped cooperation, egalitarianism, autonomy, and learning. For most of our evolutionary existence, humans were