ABSTRACT
Play theorists of the modern age, since the time of the European Enlightenment and the Romantic period, have tended to emphasize play as a means to personal growth and development at the start of life. Play is also a means by which the individual seeks personal actualization or the attainment of existential completeness. This view contrasts with a growing recognition of the need to incorporate fun into the delivery of healthcare for children and the emergence of clown doctors within both pediatric and elderly care over the last five years. Adults enjoy opportunities to play on structured play apparatus such as playground equipment, but this can be problematic when they use equipment that is designed for children. A holistic approach to health and well-being must surely acknowledge and incorporate the human instinct for play in its various guises and recognize its role in the discovery or recovery of the true self.
