As someone deeply passionate about the role of play in development, especially in the context of autism and ADHD, my experiences have always centered around observing its positive impacts on children. However, a recent, enlightening experience inside "The Cube" during a special preview prior to the Annual World Conference, hosted by Joseph Kleman, has shifted my perspective profoundly.
The Power of Play: More Than Just Child's Play
As a toy professional, I frequently discuss the power of play - its underlying research and its developmental benefits. It's a topic I've dedicated much of my advocacy towards. Yet, I realized I had seldom reflected on the benefits I personally garner from engaging in play. Yes, playing makes me smile and laugh, but the deeper reasons behind these reactions and what they mean specifically had remained unexplored territories.
My Time in "The Cube"
As I stepped into the cube, I was completely unsure of what I was getting into. I had no idea of what the session would entail, how it would unfold. And this is how it began:
Joseph: "Want to give it a try?"
Me: "Yeah! Let's do it!"
JK: "I want to start by telling you these three things to remember:
1. There is no right or wrong inside the cube.
2. There are no rules inside the cube.
3. You can do whatever you want inside the cube."
Me: "Ok!"
JK: "First, I'm going to have you put you touch all of the red balls with your right hand and all of the blue balls with your left hand."
I say, "ok" but my internal dialogue is repeating "right hand red, left hand blue". I move through the cube touching red and blue balls in that sequence. Right hand red, left hand blue. Unsure if I've actually touched them all, I repeat one corner again and then look to Joseph to see if I've successfully completed the task and can move on to the next.
JK: "Now I'll have you touch the orange balls with your right hand and the green balls with your left.
Again, I completed the exercise as I had before, my brain repeating "right orange, left green". And looked at Joseph to await my next cue. We repeated that exercise once again, and after the third time we moved forward.
JK: "I repeated that exercise 3 times to observe your actions and patterns. Each time you touched all the balls, touched some more than once as if you were unsure if you had or not and periodically glanced over to me for validation. When you were confident you had completed the task you stopped and looked at me to confirm you were indeed successful."
Me: "Yep."
JK: "What did I tell you to remember before we began?"
Me: "There is no right or wrong, there are no rules, I can do whatever...OHHHHHHH
JK: "You've already been given permission to make this experience your own. The only one holding you back is you. Your programming from somewhere, someone, at some age has taught you to seek approval and validation from others instead of yourself and that they determine if what you choose is right or wrong."
That hit me like a ton of bricks straight in my gut.
Me: "Well...Damn."
JK: "Ready to try something else?"
Me: "Sure"
JK: "Now I want you to say "this is blue" when you touch the red ball. Then say, "this is red" when you touch the blue ball."
"Now, touch all the red balls and as you do, assign each a number. Just the first number that comes to mind. It doesn't have to be significant."
"Now, touch all the blue balls and assign each a word. Any word, car, sky, cat, pencil, anything."
"How do you feel now?"
My eyes welled up with tears and I remained silent for a moment to let the surge of emotion subside before I spoke, "Free. I feel free. Free for my mind to roam, for these balls to be water and sunlight and soil and sailboats. Free to let my imagination create an idyllic environment inside this web of balls and elastic...and it be right and real, because I've been given permission to make it whatever I want."
JK: "Why are you crying?"
Me: "Because I know that this freedom isn't permitted outside of this cube. Once I leave, a red ball is a just red ball. A green ball is not grass and an orange ball is not a sailboat. Outside of this cube, there are wrongs and deadlines and doing things to meet others expectations."
JK: "Good. Now, I want you move through the cube and touch any colors you want and assign them any meaning you want. You don't have to explain why or even know why."
I went through the cube and let my imagination take me to the end of this year. Each ball representing a different hope, dream or wish that I have for myself, my family, my friends. Joseph interrupts my flow by asking, "Do you feel as light as you look?" and in that moment I stopped to reflect on what I was feeling and I was giddy. It was that silly kind of happy that I've seen on children's faces countless times and it all made sense. That cardboard box CAN be a spaceship and that stick CAN be magic staff if we give ourselves permission to let it be so.
The Eureka Moment
Emerging from The Cube, I felt a lightness I hadn't experienced in months. It was as if a lightbulb had switched on inside my brain illuminating the profound impact play has on our mental and emotional well-being, regardless of age. This revelation was not just enlightening but transformative.
In a 20-minute session with The OmniCube, I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. Play, in this immersive environment, was not just an activity but a journey of self-discovery. It "punched me in the gut," evoking tears and laughter, and allowed me the freedom to operate on my own terms - my rules, my way. It was an embodiment of liberation and personal expression.
This experience in The Cube has redefined my understanding of play. It’s more than a tool for development; it's a key to rediscovering joy, creativity, and emotional freedom. It's an invitation to everyone, regardless of age, to engage in play and unlock the myriad benefits it offers.
Click to see "The Omnicube" in action and learn more about this groundbreaking play and movement therapy.
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