Grownups: Here's Why You Need to Go Play

Remember the days of playing dodgeball or jumping rope on the school playground? That was probably many years ago. But what if we told you that play should still be an essential part of your life? Let's look at why it's important and also how to bring it back.

Play Boosts Brain Function

Playing a game or roleplaying forces your brain to think differently than it's used to. As an adult, we slip into daily, repetitive routines really easily. But breaking that repetition is incredibly healthy for us. Playing a brain game, such as Scrabble or trivia, or organizing a family scavenger hunt can be great places to start. These types of games allow us to use our thinking and problem-solving skills. 

Play Makes You Feel Young

How about going to the park to play a game of disc golf? Get a group of friends together and see just how competitive you are. Building a team and strategizing can take us back to our youth but it also builds community and helps us practice our empathy. Doing things we did when we were kids, like skateboarding, rollerblading, sledding or motorcycling are all things we can do now, too, many of which may promote feelings of nostalgia and youthfulness even as they help us build back some lost physical fitness.

Play Alleviates Stress

Adult play can help take our minds off life’s stressors. A game of beach volleyball or playing hide and seek are fun ways to get outside and get active and they remind us that we're more than work mahines. When we boost cardio health, it stomps stress down at the same time, too. This makes it a win-win when it comes to having fun and keeping stress at bay. And honestly, what's more fun than running around the yard laughing with your favorite people? 

Play Helps Build Family Unity

Instead of sitting around the TV every night, engage in a game of charades that forces the family to interact and engage with each other, to be in the moment, and gives them room to build lasting memories and family jokes that go on for years. Those interactions build bonds and memories. Who knows? You might learn a thing or two about each other you never knew.

What Games Are Popular Among Adults?

Most grownups take adulthood way too seriously. While work and school are essential, there needs to be time for simply letting loose and goofing off. It’s time we permit ourselves to play. Here are some fun things to try right now: 

• Build some play equipment. How about an adult sized swing set or a balance beam, or even a trampoline? Make the yard an adult-size playground.
• Declare a dress-up night. Be goofy dressing up in costumes and then play a board game in character or how about some charades with family?
• Go for a walk or bike ride with no destination in mind. Bring a friend or family member along for the ride. 
• Organize a game. Gather up neighborhood pals and friends and have a game of good old-fashioned football, baseball or badminton or just play catch. 
• Play a game of hide-and-seek. Gather some adults and set a large parameter such as a three-block radius and see if you've still got it.
• Get on some wheels. Roller skating, skateboards, and all manner of wheeled play have been fun for as long as the wheel has been around. Get some new adult-sized equipment and get out there again.

Grab your pets and your kids. Get out there and have some fun together. That’s what it's all about. Life isn't just about work but in the pressure of trying to provide for everyone, we often forget. So consider this your reminder. The reality is, all of those feelings of joy and wonder are still there. They're just buried underneath adulthood. Whether it’s just completing a board game by the fire, playing Marco Polo in the pool or running a large obstacle course in the mud, the wonder that comes from play is there for the taking. 

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