HOW TO PLAY

Great work, now you can go play.

Play? What? Why? I’m a grown-up. I don’t play, I do busy, stressful and very important things. ALL THE TIME! I simply do not have time to play! And why on earth would I want to play anyway, I’m an adult?!

If YOU are a very busy human, doing very stressful and important things ALL THE TIME, then you too should have a break and go play.  Play, it turns out, is also very important. And it’s something us very busy, very  important adult humans should be doing more of.
But, I’m an adult. How do I play?

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
- Bernard Shaw

It’s such a strange thing, how the art of play slips aways from us bit by bit over the years, until, before long we find ourselves all serious, hunched over our laptops and phones, our imagination closed. Just like when we are introduced to perspective as children and our drawings are never the same again - we can never truly recapture the innocence of our earlier, free from the rules of physics art we produce as small children. Or, when you realise Father Christmas's handwriting is the same as your mum’s… some things just can’t be recaptured.

But! The good news is the ability to play CAN be recaptured AND play can do marvellous things to our bodies and minds such as;

• Play and laughter can help relieve stress by releasing endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
• Playing games that challenge the brain such as puzzles and chess can help improve brain function.
• Play can help stimulate the mind and boost creativity - it can stimulate your imagination, helping you to adapt and solve problems.
• Play can keep you feeling young and boost your vitality!
• Play can help us learn better!
• ​Play can help improve your social skills, helping you to interact with people. Sharing laughter and fun can help with relationships. 

“Engaged play increases your happiness, aligns you with your deepest needs and is a huge predictor of your well-being.” - Jo Robinson

So now we know how beneficial play is for our body and minds, how can we introduce play into our everyday lives? Here are five suggestions;

• Play can be indoor or outdoor, solo or social, active or quiet. So think about meeting friends for a walk or really enjoy the time you take exercising your pets. Take time to do the crossword or simply enjoy a little daydream.
• Smile and laugh often throughout the day - laughter helps to release those fabulous endorphins.
• Spend time with the children in your life when you can and observe how they interact and play, listen to their stories and how their imaginations work.
• Participate in a variety of arts, sports and activities whenever you can to expand your horizons
• Sing and dance just for the fun of it!

Wishing you a fabulous November. See you next month.
Lots of love, Zoë xx

*Source:helpguide.org, thegeniusofplay.org / Photo Credit: Antonio Gabola Unsplash.com