The Right to Play

Today's post is very awesome and very important, because it is about the areas of occupation that are Play and Leisure. The same, you say? Well, yes. The term Play is usually used only when talking about children, while Leisure is used only with adults.

Play is the most important area of occupation for infants and children, which is really fun to think about, and important to remember. Of course, ADL's and academics make an eventual appearance, but play is first and foremost until then, and still plays an important role afterward. And, as if having play as an area of occupation wasn't enough, OT's go even further and break it down into two categories: play exploration and play participation. Play exploration means making choices about how to play, what to play, and who to play with. It also involves the discovery process of using your imagination and coming up with new ways of playing. Play participation is the actual act of playing.

In 2008, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) released their "Societal Statement on Play". And in this document are a few points that I'd like to touch on regarding children, play, and OT. The first is every child as the right to play. This is so important, because not only should kids be allowed to be kids, but "play is the context for children’s development and is fundamental to their growth and learning from infancy through adolescence, contributing to their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development". And this right to play is put at risk by so many things in today's world, whether it be passive electronic entertainment, unsafe outdoor and playground spaces, neighborhood violence, and elimination of school recess, to name a few.

So what can OT's do with play? It would be better to ask what can't OT's do with play? As previously mentioned, there are many factors in today's world that put children's opportunities for play at risk. As OT's, we have to be advocates for our pediatric clients who may not have appropriate opportunities for play. In school settings, we can collaborate with teachers and staff to make sure that healthy recreational activities are a part of every school day. In the community, we can offer events and clubs that offer opportunities for play. We can help parents find ways to engage their children in activities that promote playfulness.

In other service areas, OT's do a lot of work in what is known as Early Intervention, which is for children ages 0-3. And, since we're OT's, and since play is the primary occupation for a child that age, that is what we focus on in therapy. An OT might provide treatment for a child with low vision, helping them explore, learn, and play in their environment using senses other than vision. Or work with a child with developmental disabilities and develop toys and games that will facilitate playful behavior. Or partner with the parks and recreation department of a city to develop and build a playground that is completely wheelchair-accessible.

On to Leisure, the more grown-up-sounding word for "play". Funny enough, we divide that into Leisure Exploration and Leisure Participation, just like we did for play. And they are basically the same, exploration being finding and choosing activities that bring us joy, and participation being taking part in those activities.

And though we don't put as much emphasis on leisure as we do for play, leisure is just as important for our lives as healthy adults. It's important to have those hobbies and activities that bring us joy and add meaning to our lives. Many times, when people become sick, or have a disability, this affects their participation in their hobbies. As OT's, we might be working with them to address the medical aspects of their condition, and focusing on mostly on ADL's to get them back to their necessary activities of life. BUT, we also have to think about the other parts of their lives, like their leisure interests. OT is inherently a profession of creativity and resourcefulness, and thus we will often make adaptations or create adaptive equipment for our patients. This is no different in the area of leisure.

An OT might make a card holder for someone who loves playing cards with their friends, but no longer has the ability to grasp the cards due to arthritis. Or help a patient with quadriplegia build their muscle tone and develop the skills to play wheelchair rugby. Or help someone who uses a wheelchair develop a plan and strategies for taking a fishing trip on the river. The list truly is endless.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading--I very much appreciate it!! Also, next week will be a short post, due to the fact that I have a lab practical, 2 exams, a quiz, and then our final capstone presentation on our yearlong research project.

AOTA (2008). AOTA’s societal statement on play. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62 (6), 707

All Play & Leisure occupation areas information borrowed & adapted from: Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (3rd Edition). American Journal of Occupational Therapy 2014;68(Supplement_1):S1-S48. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2014.682006.