Can You Come Out And Play?
     Sent 4/21/2003

Sharing Creative Energy Newsletter
By Darla Arni
April 2003

Can You Come Out And Play?

When we were children it was normal for someone to ask us this question. As we grew up and became adults, playing didn’t seem so important. Most of us focus our time on being responsible, hard-working, focused, driven, workaholics, controlled or controlling, intense, dull, irritable, worried, boring, self-absorbed, (you get the idea right?) and anything but playful.

Guess what? All the time we were playing as children we were also learning.
Let me share with you . . .

The Importance of Play

When we play we connect to the right side of our brain, which is associated with imagination, visualization, intuition, spatial skills and inventiveness. Sadly, our educational systems and workplace environments cultivate the verbal, rational,
on-time left hemisphere of our brain while simultaneously wanting us to be more creative and intuitive!

The truth is we need both sides of our brain to be successful. Where would the business world be without creative thinkers and innovation? Play, in the form of team building and interactive games, are wonderful learning tools.

Why is ‘Play’ so important?

It’s learning by doing. Research has shown that participants who sit and listen to a speaker retain 20% of what they hear. However, those who are involved in active learning (contributing, simulating and actually doing something) retain 90% of the information. Training games and activities=Active Learning.

It’s low risk. The atmosphere of play allows participants to relax and learn through exploring, making mistakes and trying new things without being threatened or reprimanded. In fact, if you are learning and growing-expect mistakes.

It involves everyone. When members of a team or group are involved in
purposeful play, the dynamics of the group can be evaluated and reflected on. What are its strengths and weaknesses? How do they handle change? How do they arrive at decisions? As the group dynamics play out, individuals are
allowed to learn about themselves and others in a new light.

It’s fun. Let’s face it, play is one of those things that seems silly, but we cannot live without. Studies done by the American Psychological Association concluded that
productivity and profit are higher in companies where people have fun. Why?
Because the more fun we have the more we will accomplish. Fun allows us to
enter a zone where we focus only on the task at hand, not the future or the past.
Fun with co-workers can:
-Build team spirit
-Relieve tension and improve concentration
-Counteract boredom and reduce personal conflicts
-Increase company loyalty
-Lower absenteeism-Increase enthusiasm

Would you like information about our
‘Play With A Purpose’ presentations including
teambuilding, interactive games and scavenger hunts?

For detailed information or to request a proposal contact us at:
Phone: 660-529-2969 or 660-815-7262 E-Mail: darlaarni@socket.net
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April Brainteaser-Win a Cool Prize!
Congratulations to Tami Britt for having the correct answer and winning our March Brainteaser contest! We hope Tami enjoyed her prizes. Now here’s your chance to win.

THE PISTOL DUEL
A century ago, two Frenchmen, Alphonse and Gaston, fought a duel with pistols. Each put a bullet through his opponent’s head, yet neither Alphonse nor Gaston died. How could this be?

Email me your answer and on May 1st a winner will be drawn from all the correct answers received.

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Darla Arni is a Professional Speaker, Consultant and Author of Sharing Creative Energy at Home, Life Compass for Women, and the Sharing Creative Energy Newsletter.

Sharing Creative Energy
e-mail Darla
660.529.2969 voice
660.815.7262 cell

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