Playfulness, a personality trait consisting of sense of humor, manifest joy, and spontaneity, was demonstrated to relate to divergent thinking at the kindergarten and high-school levels. The differential valence given to it by kindergarten-teachers and JHS- and HS-teachers was discussed in relation to creative potential. There was a consensus of positive valence among kindergarten teachers while about half of the JHS- and HS-teachers saw the behavior as disruptive in the classroom. This raises serious questions about the type of classroom climate conducive to playing with ideas and the enjoyment of learning. The influence of playfulness on leisure was discussed in terms of making it not only more creative but also psychologically more satisfying. In this connection the role of the familiar and known in leisure settings was stressed. Playfulness was also seen as one of the growing number of prosocial behavior dimensions that need to be encouraged in the home and, in later life, used as an approach to work and play. In conclusion recommendations for future action and research were spelled out. (Author)