what we can learn about play from rats

Play is a vital part of the human experience. It is how we learn about ourselves and our environment, it is how we build friendships, and it is how we develop into confident adults.1 If you doubt this fact for even a moment, think about the children in your life. There's nothing more fun than watching them play with their friends or siblings: throwing balls around, building forts out of couch cushions—you name it! But did you know that not all children have access to these kinds of enriching experiences? In fact, many children grow up without adequate opportunities for play; often due to lack of resources or parental guidance. So what happens when these kids become adults? How does their lack of play impact their lives? Well according

They were also offered an environment with none of these things.

In addition to providing the rats with toys and things for them to do, the researchers also gave them a much larger cage than the other rats. This allowed them more space for exploration—a key component of play. The enriched environment also had fewer disruptions from people handling the rats. This allowed them to feel safe and comfortable so they could explore their surroundings at their own pace.

The most significant finding was that when these rats were tested on how well they could navigate mazes, they excelled compared to those living in normal cages. They were also found to be healthier overall and lived longer than the other group of rats, who were considered “normal” by comparison. What this tells us is pretty simple: if given resources (like toys) that allow you an opportunity for exploration, your life will likely improve in many ways!

The rats in the enriched environment lived longer and had healthier bodies.

The rats in the enriched environment lived longer and had healthier bodies. The rats from both environments were given unlimited access to food and water, but their daily activities differed greatly.

The enriched-environment rats spent more time playing, foraging for food together, and grooming each other than their counterparts in the standard environment did. Their brains were also found to be significantly larger than those of the control group at equivalent ages (in humans this would translate into an increase in intelligence). In addition to these physical changes, they were observed spending significantly more time during social interactions with each other.

They spent more time grooming each other.

It was an extraordinary discovery. The monkeys spent more time grooming each other. Although each monkey had its own coat, the monkeys spent more time grooming their fellow monkeys than they did themselves, which meant that even though they weren’t related by blood, they felt a bond to one another.

Grooming is a way to communicate with other animals and it helps keep them clean and healthy as well as bond with one another. In some ways you could say that grooming was the first form of communication between humans and animals because it was used to show affection or friendship just like we do today when we hug someone or pat them on the back in greeting or farewell.

They had better developed brains.

The brain is still developing in adolescence, which means that it’s a muscle that needs to be worked out. Just as you would not expect your muscles to get stronger if they weren’t used regularly, you cannot expect your brain to get stronger if it isn’t used. The more you use it, the stronger it gets!

The human brain has been called one of the most complex organisms in the world. It is responsible for all of your thoughts and actions—and those of every other animal on Earth. When we think about how much information our brains store and process every day (whether we realize it or not), it's easy to see why using our brains regularly is so important for optimum health and well-being.

Just like any other muscle in our bodies, when we don't exercise our brains consistently over time they will become weaker — making them less capable of performing tasks efficiently or even at all."

Similar results have been found in humans who are enriched by a rich play environment.

The importance of play for children's development has been well-established. Research has shown that children who are enriched by a rich play environment have higher IQs, better resilience, improved school performance and fewer problems with their peers. In fact, one study by the University of Toronto showed that children who played outside at least three times per week had higher math and reading scores than those who didn't.

Similar results have been found in humans who are enriched by a rich play environment. A study conducted at the University of California at Berkeley found that adults with access to social activities were happier overall than those without such access; another did not find any differences between individuals living alone or in groups on happiness levels or depression symptoms.

Play is essential for the development of children.

Play is the most significant contribution to the way a child learns about life. It's where children learn how to interact with others, how to explore their environment, how to express themselves, and how to develop language skills, emotional intelligence and physical skills.

When we play together as adults and children it helps us improve our relationships with each other.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that play is a crucial part of childhood. It helps children develop socially and physically, and it also has long-term effects on their well-being.