"Play" cannot really be defined with a single definition. Many different aspects go into it, and all of them piece together the mentality that drives the reasoning behind “play” in the first place. These different aspects are:

Self-Chosen and Self-Directed This statement essentially means that free will is an essential part of playing. Players should be able to choose whether or not they want to participate in the play-time activity. They should also be able to decide how they play. When playing involves a group of people and the activity needs a leader to function, the leader can only be one if the other players involved accept them as such. Any member of the group should be able to suggest rules, and the only rules that should be active are the ones agreed upon by every player. The ability to quit the game at any time gives players the power to keep a leader who tries to abuse his or her power in check. playground equipment