Hi Friend,
This week I’m inspired by unravelling the Tetris-stacked storage space and packing it into a Tetris-style moving truck. It got me thinking that even as a 39-year-old woman, playing games is still very much a part of my life. I feel like a female Peter Pan — and why is that deemed strange?
In children, play builds imagination and creativity, cultivates cognitive growth, delivers emotional and behavioural benefits, promotes physical fitness, and encourages independence. So why do we stop?
Things that signify you’re in play mode: being happy, relaxed, free, feeling like time is flowing, not constantly checking your watch. — Yesim Kunter
Why is play beneficial in adulthood?
- Physical activity. Most play gets the heart and lungs going.
- Reduces stress. Play lowers cortisol and adrenaline and releases feel-good endorphins.
- Promotes laughter. We laugh at ourselves, with others, or at the situation — releasing the same feel-good hormones and strengthening relationships.
- Stimulates the brain. When challenges are playful, we’re more likely to remember what we learned and do it again.
- Increases emotional wellbeing. Play, nature, and fun replace negative beliefs and behaviours with positive ones.
- Improves social skills. Group play involves teamwork, communication, and boundary setting.
- Reinvigorates mind and body. Play is a natural healer — energy, adrenaline, and all-round good feelings.
- Boosts innovation. Play forces creative solutions, a skill that transfers to work.
- Prevents burnout. Play relieves the stress of deadlines and work demands.
What is play? It means different things to each of us. I love an old-school playlist and turning any floor into a dancefloor, paint by numbers, playing with a dog, and my Animal Flow practice. What’s free-flowing, time-bending joy for me might be torture for you (ask me to dip in the ocean — a hard no). What makes you feel happy, relaxed, free, like time is flowing? That’s your play.
How can we incorporate more play? Life pulls us in all directions, so schedule some time for you — daily, weekly, monthly. Play solo, with others, with a pet, or with nature.
A few ideas:
- A small travel game at your desk (or go bold and ask for a ping-pong table)
- Play with a pet, or volunteer as a dog walker at a shelter
- Use the equipment next time you’re at the park
- Read a book somewhere unusual — on a rock at the beach, in a tree
- Learn an instrument, or a new skill with a friend
- Try a pottery class
- Try a new movement class — pole, line dancing, breakdancing, handstands, gymnastics, or my favourite to coach: Animal Flow
- Do a puzzle, a paint by numbers, something crafty
One night a week I stay at my folks’ place — game night, with laughter, games, and a puppy. I look forward to that refill of joy each week.
Play is being joyfully immersed in the moment. As an adult, when was the last time you experienced that? I’d love to hear how you bring more play into your world.
Until next time, Nikki