Define Play
Michael Mirza & Roberto Flores
Publishing Details
About This Podcast
What does play mean to you? A musician will give a different answer than an athlete, just as a lawyer will interpret the question differently than a monk. Somehow, all of their diverse definitions can be true at once. Play can be a performance factor, a relationship accelerator, a spiritual practice, an explosion, or a whisper. Age is just one of many variables.
Define Play explores playfulness through conversations with fascinating people sharing what play means to them. Join Michael Mirza and his guests on a mission for meaning, and maybe you’ll discover your own definition of play along the way, too.
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Recent Episodes
Perfume, Playfulness, and the Creative Process | Russell Weiss
Use the code PLAY15 to get 15% off any order of $30+: https://www.deepfieldaromatics.com
My Own Definition of Play | Michael Mirza
Subscribe to Michael's new Substack: https://substack.com/@defineplay
Six Takes on Play from a Summer Camp for Grown-Ups | Camp Rewind
Camp Rewind* convened on August 22-25, 2025, at the Oregon Outdoor Education Center, near Salem. Learn more about Camp Rewind: https://www.summercamprewind.com*Not to be confused with another event…
Upgrading Recess to Maximize the Power of Play | Phasha Spencer
Phasha Spencer is the Executive Director of Playworks Illinois, which is part of the national Playworks organization that "helps schools and youth programs create recess and play environments where…
How to Make an Album (from a Porta-Potty) | Micah Boyce & Chase Carson of White Lucy
White Lucy is a Chicago-based band that blends RnB, soul, jazz, indie rock, and hip-hop. Chase Carson, co-owner of Black Cat Scaffolding, plays guitar and writes melodies, and Micah Boyce, a senior…
Play Abroad: Teaching, Climbing, and Living Internationally | Josh & Dana Penley
Josh & Dana Penley are international teachers and travel bloggers currently living in Kuwait. In their own words: "We’re Josh and Dana Penley, a couple from the Midwest USA. We lived and worked…
Make Punishment Obsolete with Playful Parenting | Jon Fogel
Buy your own copy of Punishment-Free Parenting: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/751238/punishment-free-parenting-by-jon-fogel Follow Jon on your favorite social media platforms:…
Curate Your Life to Follow Your Heart into Light | Abe Lopez
Learn more about Lightward and Abe's many other projects: https://lightward.incListen to Abe's playlist of songs that inspire him to play:…
The Playful Power of Saying Yes to Uncertainty | Sarah Corley
Sarah Corley is a Chicago-based Guinness World Record holder, baker, actress, and water fitness instructor, as well as Senior Integrated Marketing Campaign Strategist at Sprout Social. Follow Sarah…
How Behavior Tells a Story in Teaching & Parenting | Allie Szczecinski
Allie Szczecinski, M. Ed., is an author, special education teacher, social and emotional learning coach, and content creator as Miss Behavior. Her brand new book, "Their Best Behavior: Practical…
Hip-Hop and Showing Up: Intentionality in Relationships, Running, and Rhymes | Dr. Terence Gadsden
Note: in the second half of the conversation, Michael asks Terence about play in the "Black community." We want to acknowledge that the somewhat sloppy wording of Michael's question could imply an…
Find Your Stoke in Hard Work and Harder Play, from Consulting to Ice Climbing | David Hardin
What makes you feel alive? What makes you feel like a kid again? For David, the answer to both is "stoke," the secret ingredient to adventure. David embodies "work hard, play hard" in every area of…
Beyoncé, Baseball, and Playful Communities | Rev. Meghan DeJong
Rev. Meghan DeJong is a Chicago-born athlete, activist, and mother, as well as the Executive Pastor of Adult Discipleship at Highrock Church in the Greater Boston Area.Hosting and creative direction…
How to Balance Work and Play in Design, Strategy, and Life | Timm Bloem
Timm Bloem is Principal at TB, a creative strategy studio: https://timmbloem.com Timm on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timmbloem Books mentioned:- "The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and…
Introducing… Define Play
"Play our way into meaning" is an idea coined by Dan Dowman: https://www.anthem.oooSources for comment on children receiving toys in the war in Ukraine: -…
Frequently Asked Questions
Define Play has published 15 episodes since April 2025, covering topics in Health & Fitness, Mental Health.
Define Play is currently declining with new episodes monthly. Average episode length is 39m.
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