ROUGH & TUMBLE: Taking Play Seriously

Play is the highest form of research.

- Albert Einstein

Human play is usually thought of as a childhood pastime, but in ROUGH & TUMBLE scientists and educators reveal that play imparts critical skills that are not only life-enhancing , but necessary. While play may seem trivial in our lives, it can define who we are and how we came to be.

More about the film

From the jungles of Rwanda to the university laboratory, ROUGH & TUMBLE features the essential role of play for gorillas, dogs, dolphins and rats, and reveals how necessary it is for the healthy development of children. Through play, we learn the rules of social behavior and how to bond with others. We develop our imaginations as we improve our physical and emotional well-being. ROUGH & TUMBLE reminds us of the joy and connection we experience playing, both as kids and as adults, and encourages us to get out and have fun!

The documentary includes the visionary research of the late Dr. Jaak Panksepp, affective neuroscientist and psychobiologist, a.k.a “the rat tickler.”

Screenings

An early preview of the film screened in Tel Aviv at the 22nd Annual Congress of the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society with the theme “Play: The Social Mind and Brain.” ROUGH & TUMBLE received a Merit Award from the 2024 Awareness Film Festival and in November it will screen at Animalis Fabula in San Antonio. The 21 minute documentary will be made available for classroom use via digital libraries, offered to public television stations, and submitted to film festivals.