O. Fred Donaldson, Ph.D. is a Play Specialist who travels to Lebanon twice per year to volunteer with Syrian refugee children – teaching them peace through play. 85% of all donations to Original Play go to help cover the costs of these trips.
Fred is internationally recognized for his ongoing research and use of play with children and animals over the past forty years. He has written the book Playing By Heart and over 35 articles describing his play with children and animals around the world.
As Fred says,
“Believe in the simple magic of love and the meaning of Original Play will dawn on you. Original Play is a gift of Creation, an inherent and universal code of kindness. For small creatures, as you and I, the vastness of Creation is bearable only through love. With this gift we are able to face life’s challenges without fear, not because we are tough, but because that is the scale of our love. The power of Original Play is expressed in its pattern of graceful sharing. Such play does not obliterate our differences; instead we operate at a deeper level where our differences make no difference. We feel our belonging to all life. By endowing every interaction with grace we realize the preciousness of life in every life. Original Play is compassion in action.”
Thank you for your support of Original Play.