John O'Donnell Memorial Lecture: Exploring the Elements of Play

At MALT, we love to play! When you take a MALT class, you are often at play: quilting, line dancing, cooking, you name it. But what does it mean to play? In the first annual John M. O’Donnell Memorial Lecture, Scott Eberle, past editor of the American Journal of Play and author of the column “Play in Mind” at Psychology Today, will explore the question, “What is play?” Play is a fundamental and undervalued feature of mental, physical, emotional, intellectual, and social life - for children and adults alike. The audience will explore the six dynamic elements of play with Eberle: Anticipation, Surprise, Pleasure, Understanding, Strength, and Poise. Expect an illustrated, interactive presentation informed by evolutionary biology, history, and popular culture – with a bit of mischief.