Play, creativity, and adaptive functioning: implications for play interventions

Discussed the importance of play in creative problem solving and its implications for play interventions. Theory and research in the areas of play and creative cognitive processes and play and creative affective processes are reviewed. Play has been associated with the development of creative problem solving. Creative problem solving is thought to be a resource for everyday coping and adjustment. Play intervention studies that investigate the effects of specific aspects of play on specific criteria would be appropriate for the creative problem-solving and coping area. A systematic program integrating laboratory research on play and creativity, research on play techniques, and play intervention with specific populations is needed.