Ideas worth spreading

Play is more than just fun

2,395,904 views | Stuart Brown • Serious Play 2008

A pioneer in research on play, Dr. Stuart Brown says humor, games, roughhousing, flirtation and fantasy are more than just fun. Plenty of play in childhood makes for happy, smart adults -- and keeping it up can make us smarter at any age.

A pioneer in research on play, Dr. Stuart Brown says humor, games, roughhousing, flirtation and fantasy are more than just fun. Plenty of play in childhood makes for happy, smart adults -- and keeping it up can make us smarter at any age.

This video is a TED "Best of the Web" pick, featuring a remarkable idea available on the internet from an independent creator. This idea didn’t come from TED, but TED is thrilled to spread it. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Play researcher, psychiatrist

See speaker profile

Stuart Brown's research shows play is not just joyful and energizing -- it's deeply involved with human development and intelligence. Through the National Institute for Play, he's working to better understand its significance.

About Best of the Web

Best of the Web, like the rest of TED.com, involves compelling people and ideas. But unlike TED Talks, these videos don't come from TED or our partner conferences: they're curated from around the internet, drawing on freely available videos from creators with an idea worth spreading.

This video is a TED "Best of the Web" pick, featuring a remarkable idea available on the internet from an independent creator. This idea didn’t come from TED, but TED is thrilled to spread it. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.