Why should play be a vital aspect of both children’s and adults’ lives? Laura Haver, a champion of play and author of the book Play Together, discusses her passion for integrating play into daily life and the transformative effects it can bring. Join us as we uncover the power of play, a tool that can decrease stress, enhance relationships, boost communication, and ignite creativity.
Laura opens up about her journey from the digital marketing space to beach tennis pro to advocating and promoting play. She reveals the influences of her time as a tennis coach and participating in the Pro Beach Tennis World Tour in shaping her views on playful parenting.
Listen to her transformative experiences and insights on embracing passion and uncovering opportunities for play in everyday life with fun games for the whole family. We explore the importance of fostering creativity, connection, and mindfulness through games. Laura shares more about her book, Play Together, which is designed to nurture creativity, connection, and mindfulness without relying on screens. Tune in for a lively discussion on embracing the joy and benefits of play!
Find Laura and her new book at LauraHaver.com
(0:00:18) – Power of Play and New Book (6 Minutes)
We start off talking with Laura Haver, a play advocate and author of the new book, Play Together. We discuss the importance of playing together for families and how Laura came to write the book, which is designed to increase creativity, connection, and mindfulness without screens. Laura shares stories of how the games are affecting people’s lives, and the power of play to shape how we approach and respond to life. We end by discussing the importance of play in the lives of adults, families, and children.
(0:06:28) – The Power of Play and Mindfulness (5 Minutes)
We explore how incorporating play into our daily lives can help reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen relationships, improve communication, and increase creativity and innovation. We also discuss how mindfulness can be part of play, allowing us to remain focused and present in the moment. Laura shares her personal experience of how practicing daily meditation and mindfulness practices can greatly improve the quality of life, and how she has created fun, new ways to teach these skills to children through play.
(0:11:18) – Power of Play, Creating Fun Games (8 Minutes)
We discuss the importance of simplicity and creativity when playing games. We explore how playing together as a family can help to reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen relationships, improve communication, and increase connection. Laura Haver shares her tips for creating games with low-barrier entries that can be easily adapted to fit everyone’s interests. She also suggests embracing the freedom of improvisation and encouraging our kids to express their creativity.
(0:19:14) – Transitioning Careers (9 Minutes)
Laura Haver’s journey of discovering the power of play and how it can be incorporated into our daily lives is explored. Her experience playing tennis in high school and college, and how she eventually turned to coaching and competing on the Pro Beach Tennis World Tour is discussed. Laura shares her experience of transitioning from her office job in digital marketing to a full-time career as a play advocate. The themes of her book, Play Together, and how playing together as a family can help reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen relationships, improve communication, and increase creativity are discussed. Laura also talks about her experience hosting an internet radio show and the importance of following your passion and finding playful opportunities.
(0:25:11) – Promoting Creativity, Connection, and Mindfulness (5 Minutes)
We talk about how playing together as a family can be a great way to boost creativity, connection, and mindfulness. We also cover the importance of reaching out to people who bring good energy into your life. Laura shares her book Play Together and her website LauraHaver.com.
