Play Development

Most parents understand that free, unstructured playtime is great for children’s development. What they may not know is that playful interaction with parents is also a powerful way for kids to cultivate healthy emotional development and resilience. Kids often want their parents to play with them, but many parents don’t know how to play or see it only as an (often boring) way to kill time. Playing with your kids doesn’t have to mean enrolling in countless parent-and-me classes or getting on all fours and making toy car sounds; the little daily moments together can make the most impact.

In Impact Players, New York Times best-selling author and researcher Liz Wiseman reveals the secrets of these stellar professionals who play the game at a higher level. Drawing on insights from leaders at top companies, Wiseman explains what the most influential players are doing differently, how small and seemingly insignificant differences in how we think and act can make an enormous impact, and why - with a little coaching - this mindset is available to everyone who wants to contribute at their highest level.

The pursuit of excellence is a double edged sword that leaves many hockey players or any high-performer worrying about mistakes, overthinking, and lacking confidence. Fluffy and cookie-cutter advice like “be positive,” “don’t worry about it,” and “just be confident” only makes things worse. These might be the mental states you are trying to achieve, but they are not the ‘how to’.

It may shock you to learn that we spend an average of four to seven minutes outside each day—while we spend four to seven hours using devices with screens. Needless to say, our physical, mental, emotional, and relational health has suffered. But there is a ready solution: get outside!

As a counselor, therapist, parent, or caregiver, you play a crucial role in the development and well-being of children. Yet amidst the flood of information, finding effective, research-backed techniques tailored to diverse needs and ensuring therapeutic goals balance with fun can feel overwhelming. Imagine transforming your child’s playtime into powerful moments of growth and resilience-building using culturally diverse activities that address their unique needs.

Today's kids have adopted sedentary lifestyles filled with television, video games, and computer screens. But more and more, studies show that children need "rough and tumble" outdoor play in order to develop their sensory, motor, and executive functions. Disturbingly, a lack of movement has been shown to lead to a number of health and cognitive difficulties, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotion regulation and sensory processing issues, and aggressiveness at school recess break.

You can learn to play music, no matter what you've been told about your musical talent or aptitude. With the right instruction and methods, learning to play music can be an endless source of joy and fulfillment. And learning to play music isn't just fun, it's also the ideal brain fitness activity. Dr. Turknett, a neurologist, self-taught multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of Brainjo and the Brainjo Method of instruction, distills the principles of learning to play music down into a set of universal "laws" that can be applied to any instrument.

The Ultimate Guide to Kink is the first major guide to BDSM in a generation - a bold and sexy collection of essays that run the gamut from expert how-to tutorials to provocative essays that delve into complex questions about desire, power, and pleasure. The book brings together diverse voices from the kink community in an unprecedented way: each chapter is written by a different sexuality/BDSM educator.

Told from the viewpoint of a self-described competition junkie, Compete, Play, Win is a look at the psychology behind the competitive drive, a look at the sociological ramifications of acting on competitive impulses, and a book of advice on how to channel those impulses for personal gain in business, sport, and in life.

This collection of four books by metaphysical writer and teacher Florence Scovel Shinn explores the power of thought and word to change your life. When we harness this power, we can create the life of our wildest dreams. But if we succumb to dark thoughts and negative self-talk, we can create a life of failure and despondence.

Coaches search for it. Parents dream of it. Fans love it. Athletes want it. The Playmaker on any sports team possesses it: an elusive, intangible quality combining anticipation, perception, and decision-making skills. This quality raises their game above the competition and allows them to pass when no one else can, anticipate the movement of opponents, and avoid costly mental mistakes, thus holding the team together. Using today's technology and tools, it is now possible to understand, assess, and train this sixth sense rather than just hope it magically appears.

This book introduces three essential pillars for interpreting children’s actions, deepening communication, and fostering cooperation. Rooted in developmental insight, it challenges common approaches like punishment, bribes, and threats—offering instead a respectful framework built on boundaries, expectations, and natural consequences.

Join the legions of couples and singles who are making their hottest sexual fantasies come true. Whether you're looking for an endless supply of fantasy ideas or expert advice for a playful, imaginative sex life that turns you both on, this information-packed book has everything you need to know.

In this audiobook, you'll get an inside look at how a man thinks and interacts with a woman when he's not that interested in her. It's extremely difficult for a man to waste your time and treat you like a short-term plaything without exhibiting certain unmistakable behaviors that clearly communicate that he's trying to keep you interested...but unclaimed.

Stop negative thoughts, assuage anxiety, and live in the moment with these fun, easy games from improv expert Clay Drinko. Dr. Clay Drinko offers 120 low-key, accessible activities that draw on the popular principles of improv comedy to help you tackle your everyday stress and reconnect with the people around you.

In this new edition of the best-selling classic, Florence Scovel Shinn teaches the power of positive thought and how to access abundance, love, and success. At a time of global trauma like no other, The Game of Life and How to Play It is the ultimate guide to creating a life full of optimism, clarity, and happiness. With simplicity and force, Florence Scovel Shinn's teachings have profoundly shaped the fields of personal development and spiritual growth.

Every kid needs horseplay! Roughhousing is an essential part of childhood development—but it is increasingly overshadowed by screens and structured activities. In Unplug and Play, a doctor and a child psychologist, both dads, introduce parents to the benefits of physical play for young children. Drawing from gymnastics, martial arts, ballet, team sports, and even animal behavior, the authors present fun full-contact activities for parents and children to enjoy together.

Do you want to achieve a long-held dream or reach a life-changing goal? That big promotion or fulfilling new job? That business you want to start? That exciting new life in the sun? That amazing idea you long to put into action? Are you held back by fears that you haven't got what it takes? You may not realise it, but your personality, character, experiences, skills and even personal circumstances are all fantastic tools and assets which you can use to create the life and career you've always wanted.

Research suggests that the first six months of life are the most critical to a child’s development of language skills. For an individual to become sufficiently skilled in any language, they must be exposed to the language as early as possible, preferably before school age.

Secret Playbook is a self-guided workbook that unlocks the secrets to a purposeful life—play by play. Its author, Frank D. Murphy, former NFL player and national motivational speaker, uses his personal journey to help the listener take an in-depth look at their life and their journey to a purposeful life. Each secret play provides wisdom and practices that are life-changing. Frank also shares examples of his own life experiences to inspire listeners to get out of their own way and seek out their life purpose.