Brain development as 21st-century skills: What is the play doing to my brain?

As business worlds and societal expectations change rapidly in the 21st century, new skills are required. People are increasingly expected to exhibit critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, communication skills, collaboration skills, creativity skills, and adaptability skills. Education in the 21st century is expected to develop and support these skills. In order to acquire these skills, brain development is essential. Brain processes information from many sources, interprets senses, and controls and regulates mental processes such as thinking, remembering, and making decisions. Play is, on the other hand, the child's most important tool for understanding the world, making sense of it, discovering himself and the world, dreaming, having fun, and learning. The purpose of this study is to discuss how play contributes to brain growth, which is crucial for developing 21st-century skills in the human body. The relationship between play and 21st-century skills is discussed in this context. Considering motor, language, social, and emotional development within the context of brain development, the effects of play were discussed. Finally, the relationship between video games, which quickly enter children's lives and occupy a significant amount of their time, and brain development was addressed. As a result, play has a significant impact on children's development throughout their lives. There are, however, insufficient studies that examine its effects on brain development because of ethical concerns. The rapid development of technology necessitates examining the effects of play on brain development. The effects of video plays on human behavior and child development are particularly important to understand. Play in video games, however, is insufficiently studied for their impact on brain development. © 2023, Duzce University, Faculty of Education. All rights reserved.