ABSTRACT
The idea of play as integral to health and development is now well supported by evidence from play theory, from neuroscience, and from the stories of real people playing in the real world. In this chapter, the concepts of play and health are examined in their historical context and redefined for the twenty-first century. The notion of play as a viability variable is presented as a rationale for the pursuit of play for its own sake and for its potential to contribute to the health and wellbeing both of the individual and of society. A relational approach to health and wellbeing emphasizes the dynamic, interactive relationship between individual development and the impact of the changing contexts of our lives, including how and why people play.
