Heureka’s exhibition The Power of Play encourages lifelong playing

The purpose of the exhibition is to increase our understanding of this, and encourage visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in the world of play. The exhibition defends children’s right to be children and helps adults find their inner child. The purpose is also to break the norms associated with play; everyone is allowed to engage in all sorts of games and play, and there is no age limit to play.

- ‘The exhibition is an ode to childhood, play, playfulness and children’s curiosity. Play is universal, natural and necessary for the comprehensive development and wellbeing of humans. It pays to keep your playing skills up to date at all ages. We want to encourage visitors to lifelong playing,’ says Päivi Garner, the exhibition project manager.

The Power of Play has been designed as a Pavilion of Play, where visitors will find games and fun that have sprouted from the science of play. The Pavilion of Play comprises five varieties of play: silliness, creativity, adventure and exploration, daring, and caring. The exhibition has more than 20 different games and activities that include building a sense of community, strengthening creativity and outside-the-box thinking, practicing letting go of prejudices, nourishing a desire to experiment, challenging the visitor’s limits, and playing together.

Play is a complex concept and hard to define exhaustively. The following aspects, however, are common to most definitions of play: play is a voluntary activity, it is driven by people’s intrinsic motivation, and it produces joy and pleasure. Play has no end goal; we engage in play just for the sake of playing. Other key aspects of play include creativity, opportunities to choose, creating meaning, and the person playing being fully in control of the activity. Usually, a set of rules is spontaneously created for play by the players, and switching roles is an integral part of playing. Johan Huizinga’s work Homo Ludens (‘playing human’, published 1944) is considered to be the first study focusing on play. In addition to the concept of the ‘playing human’, Huizinga discussed the importance of play and games for the development of human cultures. Play is present in all cultures, and it is not exclusive to humans; animals play as well.

We learn to play by playing, but many adults lose the skill to play at some point of their lives. Researcher Katriina Heljakka has found that adults depend more on toys to be able to engage in play and use their imagination than children. Despite this, humans retain the ability to play throughout their lives. According to psychologist Stuart Brown, who has studied the effect of play on human wellbeing, our behaviour becomes rigid if we stop playing. We lose interest in the new and different, and find less joy in our everyday lives. Those who engage in play while they work maintain a sharper mind for longer. The skill to play can and should be honed as an adult too, and the skill can be rediscovered.

Designing The Power of Play involved extensive collaborationwith early childhood education professionals, and experts and researchers focusing on play and environments for play. PPG Tikkurila sponsored the exhibition and the related learning programmes.

- ‘Heureka and PPG Tikkurila have many things in common, which makes Heureka a natural partner for us. We want to play a strong role in supporting science education and maintaining interest in science, and Heureka offers an inspiring way to learn about science in a hands-on and interactive environment. We have been working together in many different ways since 1989, when Heureka was established in our neighbourhood in Tikkurila, Vantaa,’ says Meri Vainikka, Managing Director at PPG Tikkurila.

The Power of Play exhibition will be open at Heureka for approximately two years, until 12 January 2025.

Heureka’s planetarium re-opens on 4 February with the animated movie 3–2–1 Liftoff!added to its programme

On the opening day of the exhibition The Power of Play, the Heureka planetarium will be re-opened after being closed for air condition related renovations. A new space-themed animated children’s movie, 3–2–1 Liftoff!, is added to the planetarium programme.The half-hour movie is produced by Krutart, a Czech animation and movie production company. The movie is suitable both for adults and children (age limit 5 years old). In addition to the exhibitions, admission to Heureka includes admission to all planetarium movies.

More information on The Power of Play:

Exhibition Project Manager Päivi Garner, tel. +358 40 9015 271, paivi.garner@heureka.fi

Exhibition website: https://www.heureka.fi/exhibition/the-power-of-play/?lang=en
Photos from the exhibition:
https://www.sttinfo.fi/uutishuone/tiedekeskus-heureka/m?publisherId=69819743

More information on the 3-2-1 Liftoff! animated movie:
https://www.heureka.fi/event/3-2-1-matkaan-32-min/?lang=en