How much time do you spend playing?
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I can already hear you ask why or come up with a quick reason about not having time. Quit it. I don’t want to hear it. I’m telling you, play is important.
Play needs to be scheduled in and even better than that – implement play into your life everyday.
If you don’t believe me, check out what Dr. Brown has to say about play.
Play is More Than Fun
Types of Play
Getting Air aka Jump Up and Down
- If you’re having a bad day try that! Just get up and jump around. Get air!
Object Play
- Toss a ball. Play a game where you use your hands.
Curiosity and Exploration
- Try playing a role playing game and go on an adventure in the yard! I personally go stalk beavers as my play.
Social Play
- Okay, I’m going to say it – Farmville? Words? I bet play is more fun when you’re physically active but those of us who are connected via social media can play while we’re on the train, standing in line or sitting on the…
Rough and Tumble Play
- Roll around. Get dirty. Instead of yelling at your kids to stay out of the mud, get muddy with them!
Spectator and Ritual Play
- Go to a game. Go to the theater. Start a theater in your backyard. Reclaim the word ritual.
Imaginative Play
- This tends to be solo play. Use your imagination. Be a Queen or King of your land and balance the budget. ;P
Storytelling
- Telling funny or adventurous stories is play! Have you noticed how fun it is to listen to someone retelling an adventure of a funny story? Notice how often we listen to comedians? They are telling stories. My mom’s emails are like that!
“Nothing fires up the brain like play,” says Dr. Stuart Brown. ”…When you’re play deprived you don’t develop a brain that is normal.”
Whether it’s online games you become obsessed with (I’m addicted to Words and play throughout the day) or running around trying to hit a ball with a racket, it’s important to play. Even though I’m all into putting play on the daily calendar, it’s even better to make your daily activities playful.
I talked about “playing” at your relationship instead of “working” on it in 3 Questions to Ask to Help You Have a Healthy Happy Relationship and the same applies to doing yard work, writing that report, taking the garbage out or cleaning out the refrigerator.
Life without play is dismal, bland, boring and can be dangerous. You can transform your life if you connect with that little kid in your and go back to what your favorite activity was. If you take a moment to listen to that little kid, you may discover what you always wanted to do in life. You may pick up a paint set or you may even switch careers.
But many of you did not have such playful childhoods to reconnect to. If you come from a traumatic upbringing where play did not exist in the house you can still create it! It’s never too late for a happy childhood!
Dr. Brown recommends a book called Rules of the Red Rubber Ball
I try to make my whole day playful and when it’s not playful or if I’m in a grumpy mood (usually when I’m hungry or have no wifi) I try giggling or making up a silly song. This is one of the reasons why I hope to get a hula-hoop for my birthday! I will start hula-ing and videoing it to make you laugh.
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Infuse your life with play!
What’s your favorite way to play? Please share in the comments.
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