--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Play is a child's work and this is not a…" description: "\"Play is a child's work and this is not a trivial pursuit.\" — Alfred Adler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/alfred-adler-4921_child_play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a_15063.jpg" --- # Play is a child's work and this is not a trivial pursuit. ![“Play is a child's work and this is not a trivial pursuit.” quote by Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/alfred-adler-4921_child_play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a_15063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/alfred-adler-4921_child_play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a_15063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/alfred-adler-4921_child_play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a_15063.jpg) > “Play is a child's work and this is not a trivial pursuit.” [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Play serves as a child's primary mode of learning and development, not merely frivolous activity. **In simple terms:** Play is essential work for children. Key Takeaway Play is serious learning. Themes development learning childhood play education Mood curious reflective Type insightful observational When to use this quote - early childhood education - parenting strategies - child therapy Key Concepts cognitive growth social skills creativity Practical Applications - designing play-based curricula - therapeutic play interventions Questions to Reflect On - How does play influence a child's problem‑solving abilities? - In what ways can adults support play as a learning tool? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [God may not play dice but he enjoys a good round of Trivial Pursuit every now and again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/god-may-not-play-dice-but-he-enjoys-a-good-round-of-trivial-pursuit/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [To play Trivial Pursuit with a life like mine could be said to be a form of homeopathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/to-play-trivial-pursuit-with-a-life-like-mine-could-be-said-to-be-a/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Bring Your Child to Work Day -- that's how we got George W. Bush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/bring-your-child-to-work-day-that-s-how-we-got-george-w-bush/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [The most beautiful things in the creating of the child are his "mistakes." The more a child's work is full of these individual mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-cizek/the-most-beautiful-things-in-the-creating-of-the-child-are-his/) Franz Cizek > [I'm particularly fortunate to be in a position where I can bring my child to work and be able to get good child care.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-louis-dreyfus/i-m-particularly-fortunate-to-be-in-a-position-where-i-can-bring-my/) [Julia Louis-Dreyfus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-louis-dreyfus/) > [By giving kids an allowance, you teach that child to work for money rather than learn to create money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/by-giving-kids-an-allowance-you-teach-that-child-to-work-for-money/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Raising children is not easy, and what works for one child may not work for the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-bailey/raising-children-is-not-easy-and-what-works-for-one-child-may-not/) [Cynthia Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-bailey/) > [A child's work is to create the person she/he will become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/a-child-s-work-is-to-create-the-person-she-he-will-become/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [The future destiny of a child is always the work of the mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-future-destiny-of-a-child-is-always-the-work-of-the-mother/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I have a big life, a small child, I work, I do a lot of things, so I'm often playing catch-up with what's current.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-toussaint/i-have-a-big-life-a-small-child-i-work-i-do-a-lot-of-things-so-i-m/) [Lorraine Toussaint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-toussaint/) > [As a general rule, when your child, or anyone in the work force, doesn't know what he/she wants to do, they should instead always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/as-a-general-rule-when-your-child-or-anyone-in-the-work-force-doesn-t/) [Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/) > [I don't want to be a Trivial Pursuit question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-viall/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-trivial-pursuit-question/) [Nick Viall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-viall/) > [“baptizing all containers with an orifice that appeals to their cock is the trivial pursuit of little boys" (23) (rbt: every "boy" i know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-duvert/baptizing-all-containers-with-an-orifice-that-appeals-to-their-cock/) Tony Duvert > [I remember us all playing Trivial Pursuit at home and my granddad was a member of a local quiz leagues. When I was old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-ryan/i-remember-us-all-playing-trivial-pursuit-at-home-and-my-granddad-was/) [Jenny Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-ryan/) > [“Axe was a quiet man, six foot four, with piercing blue eyes and curly hair. He was smart and the best Trivial Pursuit player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/axe-was-a-quiet-man-six-foot-four-with-piercing-blue-eyes-and-curly/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) ## More by Alfred Adler > [There is a law that man should love his neighbor as himself. In a few hundred years it should be as natural to mankind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/there-is-a-law-that-man-should-love-his-neighbor-as-himself-in-a-few/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [Nobody adopts antisocial behaviour unless they fear that they will fail if they remain on the social side of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/nobody-adopts-antisocial-behaviour-unless-they-fear-that-they-will/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [What person, confined in a small room with nothing but a tea-cosy, will not eventually put the tea-cosy on their head?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/what-person-confined-in-a-small-room-with-nothing-but-a-tea-cosy-will/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [I am grateful for the idea that has used me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/i-am-grateful-for-the-idea-that-has-used-me/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [The feeling of inferiority rules the mental life and can be clearly recognized in the sense of incompleteness and un-fulfillment, and in the uninterrupted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/the-feeling-of-inferiority-rules-the-mental-life-and-can-be-clearly/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [Far more unwaveringly, the neurotic keeps before his eye his God, his idol, his ideal of personality and clings to his guiding principle, losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/far-more-unwaveringly-the-neurotic-keeps-before-his-eye-his-god-his/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [The test of one's behavior pattern is their relationship to society, relationship to work and relationship to sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/the-test-of-one-s-behavior-pattern-is-their-relationship-to-society/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [There are thousands of degrees and variations, but it is always clearly the attitude of a person who finds his superiority in solving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/there-are-thousands-of-degrees-and-variations-but-it-is-always/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [You can be healed of depression if every day you begin the first thing in the morning to consider how you will bring a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/you-can-be-healed-of-depression-if-every-day-you-begin-the-first/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [It is very obvious that we are not influenced by "facts" but by our interpretation of the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/it-is-very-obvious-that-we-are-not-influenced-by-facts-but-by-our/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [In God's nature, religious mankind perceives the way to height. In His call it hears again the innate voice of life which must have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/in-god-s-nature-religious-mankind-perceives-the-way-to-height-in-his/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [Man knows much more than he understands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/man-knows-much-more-than-he-understands/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [Every pampered child becomes a hated child… There is no greater evil than the pampering of children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/every-pampered-child-becomes-a-hated-child-there-is-no-greater-evil/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [Every neurotic is partly in the right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/every-neurotic-is-partly-in-the-right/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [It is easy to believe that life is long and one's gifts are vast -- easy at the beginning, that is. But the limits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/it-is-easy-to-believe-that-life-is-long-and-one-s-gifts-are-vast-easy/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) [Explore all 105 Alfred Adler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) ## More Child quotes > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) [Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Play is a child's work and this is not a trivial pursuit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfred Adler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a-trivial-pursuit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Child" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a-trivial-pursuit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/alfred-adler-4921_child_play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a_15063.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/alfred-adler-4921_child_play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a_15063.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/alfred-adler-4921_child_play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a_15063.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Play is a child's work and this is not a trivial pursuit.” — Alfred Adler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alfred Adler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Play is a child's work and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a-trivial-pursuit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a-trivial-pursuit/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```