Lighten Up With Play Time!

Quick Win

Do something playful and fun to revisit the ease of childhood.

Try This Today

• Go back in time. Think about the activities you enjoyed as a child. Flying kites? Double Dutch jump rope? Playground games? Board games? Coloring? Dancing? Blowing bubbles?
• Pick something you can do today. Spend a half-hour or more on pure fun. Grab a pal (of any age) or have your own personal play session.
• Mark your calendar. Plan your next play session. Send invites if you’d like, and create a “play stash” with the supplies you’ll need. 

Why

Play helps children learn and grow, but there’s no reason kids should have all the fun! Bringing more play and playfulness into your life may help to enhance happiness and mental health, research suggests. Daily play was linked to a better mood and coping skills in a study of the effects of play among 199 people with diabetes and their partners reported in 2019 in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. And curmudgeons, take note: Play and playfulness can be taught — and even “induced” playfulness can improve well-being —according to a study of 533 adults ages 18 to 84 published in 2020 in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being.