Linn makes a compelling case for the importance of imaginative play in the lives of children, and beyond. She clearly demonstrates the ways in which supporting children's imaginative play benefits society as a whole. Despite the tremendous importance of play, at both the individual and communal level, American society often not only fails to support imaginative play, but actively seeks to undermine it for the sake of corporate profit.
Dr. Linn is a co-founder of the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, and Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard University Medical. She has also worked extensively with children in the capacity of a play therapist. Dr. Linn is clearly an expert in her field and does a wonderful job of laying out the reasons why play is an "essential building block for a meaningful life" (page 10). Yet despite its vital importance to child development, imaginative play is eroding in our present day society, as children spend significantly less time engaging in creative play then they have in past years. For Linn, the answer lies in our profit driven corporate culture, which undermines the importance of creative play in favor of more profitable character based and directive styles of play.
Linn's book however, is one of hope and encouragement. She provides us (the overstressed parent) with suggestions for how to parent with intention and nurture creativity. She provides her reader with bulleted lists, tips and suggestions to help spark creative play. For Linn, the solution seems to be a more intentional type of parent, we "have to know who we are and what we value" (page 199).
What I enjoyed most about Linn's writing was that she did ot write a book strictly for academics and professionals, rather this book is for us, the parents. Rather than blaming, or criticizing parents for the decline of creative play amongst our children, Linn puts the blame on corporate profiteers. She empowers parents and educators to look within and trust themselves for the answers. Linn's book is engaging and thought provoking. It should be required reading for any parent who wants to parent with intention, as a tool to navigate through an overwhelming, dis-empowering, corporate culture. Perhaps the greatest motivation for nurturing creative play in our children is that it allows them to differentiate between their own internal motivation and the external stimulus of media messages. By fostering creative play, we are equipping our children with the tools that they themselves will need to maneuver the commercialized world in which they are
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