“Child's play” is a phrase that is used to describe something that is easy or of little consequence. Little wonder that the topic of play has been a relatively neglected area of research. Recent efforts, however, have begun to examine the role of play in human adaptation, with promising results. However, this research still contains pejorative assumptions about play that are deeply rooted in our culture. The following article will provide a brief overview of several major lines of research that have been aimed at identifying the adaptive value of play. Problems and assumptions in this research will then be explored in order to more fully grasp the limitations of our current view of play. Finally, alternative perspectives will be offered that hopefully will provide new meanings and contexts for understanding play.
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