Why Playgrounds Are Important

"But if play is not simply a developmental hiccup, as biologists once thought, why did it evolve? There are scores of theories, but none is totally convincing. The latest idea is perhaps the most audacious--it suggests that play has evolved to build big brains. In other words, playing makes you intelligent. Playfulness is quite a rare trait. It is common only among the mammals, although a few of the larger-brained birds such as magpies and crows also indulge. Animals at play often use unique signals--tail-wagging in dogs, for example--to indicate that activity superficially resembling adult behaviour is not really in earnest. "

Thanks to Mary Samuelson