By Rose Vechoorettu and Mikayla van Loon
A current exhibition at the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum offers the community a chance of “indulging in nonsense”, states founder of Playful Thinking Daniel Teitelbaum.
The playful and interactive exhibit about famous opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, titled A Toast to Melba, introduces the hidden, fun-loving personality of the world-renowned star, encouraging visitors to take on her secret to success: play.
At the beginning of May, Daniel will lead a guided tour of the exhibit drawing on Melba’s own sense of silliness and ability to have fun.
Daniel’s studies in the philosophy of play have led him to design his upcoming tour to develop playful mindsets in visitors, taking them through four steps of playful thinking, overcoming the biggest obstacle in their busy lives – lack of rest – and indulging in creative nonsense.
“Nellie Melba understood the importance of rest. Her home was very much a sanctuary. The rest of the world was the stage,” Daniel said.
Daniel shared his road to discovering and sharing the power of play, including his studies in the School of Life, reading, and the founding of his company, Playful Thinking, in 2018.
He hopes that by attending the tour and exhibit, adults will be able to experience the “obvious and hardcore” benefits of play and presents Dame Nellie Melba as a “role model” who was aware of the need for rest, self-expression, curiosity, and nonsense.
Not surprised to find that Dame Nellie Melba was a playful character, Daniel quoted author of Play, Stuart Brown, who found “the more play you get, the more successful you are” and shared his desire to help adults rediscover their own ability to play with the example of the successful singer before them.
The wide benefits of play range from cognitive, such as memory, perception, and logic, to physical.
“You can develop… communication skills, strategy skills, problem solving skills, it’s the best way to learn,“ he said.
“Every aspect of human interaction can be understood through a lens of play…it’s the best intervention for your… health”.
He encourages adults in the outer east to join in the fun, “make noise”, “do nothing”, and bring along a friend “who needs a reminder of (their) wonderful playful side” to escape from the stress of day-to-day life.
The guided tour, the Power of Play, will be held on Thursday 1 May from 11am and requires bookings to attend.
Visit yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/Events/The-Power-of-Play-A-Guided-Exhibition-Tour-with-Playful-Thinking to book your spot.
