Playfulness comes in many different forms and with a wide variety of characteristics. Through his experience, doctor Stuart Brown, M.D., was able to identify eight personalities that surface during play. Self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom.

What’s the art? Stuart Brown, M.D., researches the influence of play on people. Identifying play personalities isn’t an exact science, but a way of defining different types of artists in the art form of play.

Brown states that you’ll very likely have a mix of the eight personalities mentioned below. However, there’s always one dominant profile that fits your play style. Can you spot yours?

		The Joker If you’re a Joker, you bring out the best in nonsense. You like to fool around, that is your natural type of play. Stuff like practical jokes, funny remarks and hilarious stories are key in your concept of fun.
		The Kinesthete If you love to move, you may be a Kinesthete. You’re happiest when you find yourself moving. Your play involves running, swimming, yoga, football, or really any form of active sports. Competition isn’t the main focus though. You focus on the joy of being physically active, not the joy of winning.
		The Explorer If you love to venture into the unknown, you’re an Explorer. Both physically and mentally or even emotionally you look for new things. Visiting new, foreign places is the most straight forward way for you to find joy. However, you might as well satisfy your playful needs by researching a new subject or even searching for an entirely whole new feeling.
		The Competitor If you’re a Competitor, you’re all about being the best. Your playing field is a competitive game with specific rules and a clear winner at the end. You like games that keep scores and you strive to be the best at everything you do.
		The Director You’re a natural born organizer. You enjoy planning and executing scenes and events. In the best case this shows in being the epicenter of a social group. At the worst, this means you’re a manipulator. You love to be in control. The world is the stage and you work your magic through every possible means.
		The Collector The joy in your world lies in having the most, the rarest or the best. You collect everything that strikes you as interesting. Coins, video games, books, movies, cars, you name it. The joy of collecting isn’t restricted to physical objects, though. You might even go as far as to making it your purpose to visit as many places as possible.
		The Artist/ The Creator As a Creator or Artist, you find purpose in making things. Typically, you focus on the craft, not the reaction to the finalized product. You might enjoy drawing, knitting or painting, but could also find joy in fixing broken things by disassembling and reassembling them. Even gardening could be one of your passions.
		The Storyteller Imagination is key in your play. Not only do you love to create from your imaginative mind, you also enjoy reading books and watching movies. Through your vivid imagination you can make any activity more interesting by surrounding it with a story. You make a dull game of football transform into the most important World Cup match in history, with you as its star player.