From the Editor; February/March 2009; Scientific American Mind; by Mariette DiChristina; 1 Page(s)

Every parent has probably suffered from this type of near catastrophe. My husband and I realized¿too late¿that we had forgotten to pack toys and books to entertain our older daughter, then about five, during a long drive. Our guilt soon turned to amusement tinged with open admiration. She solved the problem her own way: her feet instantly became two friendly characters cavorting together across her mental stage, with her narrating out loud for our benefit.

The drive to play is strong. But who knew that goofing off as children could be so constructive when it comes to establishing the long-term mental health of adults? As Melinda Wenner writes in the cover story, ¿The Serious Need for Play,¿ starting on page 22, frolicking in unstructured free play (as opposed to planned and rulesbased activities such as chess clubs or after-school sports teams) is particularly critical for youngsters. Imaginary play and tumbling around in the sort of mock battles that my parents used to call ¿roughhousing¿ are both key for children to successfully acquire social skills, reduce stress, improve cognition and develop problemsolving abilities. Grown-ups can benefit from play breaks, too. We just have to remember to set the stage for our own fun times.