ABSTRACT
At first blush, it may appear that science and play represent two extremes of a continuum. Science, on the one hand, is often characterized by precision of measurement, rigorous methods, mathematical formulations, and skepticism. Play, on the other hand, is typically regarded as carefree, spontaneous, and fun. Upon reflection, however, one soon discovers many relationships between play and science. Both play and science are complex, multifaceted human activities incorporating sociocultural, cognitive, kinesthetic, and affective dimensions. Science, or more accurately, the sciences, address phenomena as different in scale and substance as astronomy, psychology, and atomic physics. Scientists employ a range of research methods including dissection, field observation, and laboratory experimentation, and they construct scientific theories ranging from mathematical models to reliable qualitative generalizations. In a similar vein, play includes games with rules and sociodramatic make believe.
