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Rough and Tumble

From the Rwanda jungle to the university laboratory, Rough and Tumble: Taking Play Seriously explores the beneficial role of human play through the play of wild gorillas, dolphins, dogs, and rats. The film draws connections between the study of play in non-human animals and the crucial role play serves in human development.

Human play is often thought of as a childhood pastime, but it imparts critical skills and experiences that are life-enhancing. Through play, we learn the rules of social behavior, how to bond with others and develop our imaginations, while improving our physical and emotional well-being. As unstructured play is supplanted by hours of screen time, what deficiencies will our children face as adults? While play may seem trivial in our lives, it may define who we are and how we came to be.

Experts featured in the film include primatologists Drs. Dieter and Netzin Steklis, educational psychologist Dr. Anthony Pellegrini, evolutionary biologist Dr. Marc Bekoff, the late neuroscientist Dr. Jaak Panksepp, as well as interviews with a Waldorf teacher, a social worker, and a nature writer.

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