There is much interest today in the purpose of play. For humans, it is widely considered important for development, but for animals the role of play is less certain. In this fascinating description of the imaginative and varied play habits of many species of animals, David Toomey considers the purpose of this behavior, and he explains the major views on the subject.
David Toomey is a professor of English at UMass-Amherst and co-director of the English Department’s Professional Writing and Technical Communication Program. In addition to his scholarly work, he has written on is a broad range of topics for the general public.
