Developmental links between play behavior and brain network integration

Nishio, M.; Ziv, M.; Ellwood-Lowe, M. E.; Ignachi Sanguinetti, J.; Denervaud, S.; Hirsh-Pasek, K.; Golinkoff, R. M.; Mackey, A. P.

doi:10.64898/2026.03.26.714609

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.03.26.714609

Developmental links between play behavior and brain network integration

Nishio, M.·Ziv, M.·Ellwood-Lowe, M. E.·Ignachi Sanguinetti, J.·Denervaud, S.·Hirsh-Pasek, K.·Golinkoff, R. M.·Mackey, A. P.

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Abstract

Play is a fundamental aspect of childhood and plays a crucial role in the development of creativity, yet its neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that more frequent play is associated with stronger functional integration among the default mode network (DMN), executive control network (CN), and salience network (SAL), as these cortical networks have been implicated in creativity in adults. In a preregistered study of infants and toddlers (Study 1; N = 143, 10 months-3 years, 67 boys, Baby Connectome Project), parent-reported play and imitation behaviors increased sharply from 1 to 2 years, and were associated with stronger within-DMN connectivity and DMN-CN coupling, controlling for age, sex, and head motion. In middle childhood (Study 2; N = 108, ages 4-11 years, 52 boys), parent-reported play frequency declined with age, as did cross-network coupling involving SAL. However, children who engaged more frequently in play showed higher DMN-SAL and CN-SAL connectivity. Finally, in a quasi-experimental comparison (Study 3; N = 45; ages 4-12 years, 20 boys), children enrolled in a curriculum that includes guided play (Montessori) showed higher DMN-SAL and DMN-CN connectivity than peers in traditional schools, suggesting that pedagogies that center child-led exploration might enable protracted brain network integration. Across these three studies, play was consistently associated with greater integration among DMN, SAL, and CN, a pattern previously linked to creativity in adults. Our findings offer a potential mechanism linking childhood play to later creativity through its role in supporting brain integration during development. Public Significant StatementO_LIPlay is widely believed to nurture childrens creativity, yet the brain mechanisms behind this link are not well understood. C_LIO_LIAcross three studies from infancy to middle childhood, we found that more frequent play was associated with stronger integration among brain networks tied to imagination, attention, and control. C_LIO_LIThese findings suggest that play may help build the neural foundation for later creative thinking. C_LI

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Nishio, M., Ziv, M., Ellwood-Lowe, M. E., Ignachi Sanguinetti, J., Denervaud, S., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Mackey, A. P.. 2026-03-28. Developmental links between play behavior and brain network integration. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.03.26.714609

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