“Play is the highest form of research.” -Albert Einstein
Edison’s “invention factory” played with a 6,000 different materials until they could light a bulb that was practical for home use. Einstein used thought experiments to explore the physics of light which led to his theories on Relativity. Davinci watched birds and sketched flying machines, and eventually the Wright brothers learned to build one. These minds were visionaries in the sense that they had a capacity to be in playful communion with nature. And while they failed many times on their way to success, to them failure meant one step closer. Their quest to learn inspired their drive and harvested their mistakes.
Babies learn to walk the same way. They observe their parents walking on two legs and as their sensory-motor cortex develops they begin to mirror that same behavior, and they learn through experimental play, trial and error.