Play is for Grown-ups

I have been playing my entire life and never plan to stop. I am a joy-finding frolicking enthusiast, and a professional play connoisseur (I am a Registered Play Therapist). You might find me shuffling along to the beat down the grocery aisle or drawing pictures in the sand at the beach. I know in my core (and it’s been scientifically proven) that playfulness in daily life contributes to elevated mood, deeper relationships, and deeper learning. What I realize is that cultivating a playful lifestyle is uncommon practice for many adults. Most people drop play when life’s responsibilities seem to take over. It can seem hard to include “play” when life feels serious. Bills have to be paid, dependents cared for, homes cleaned. For some caregivers playing with children might even feel like a chore.

Most do not dispute that playing is powerful and necessary for children. Kids use toys to communicate in ways that transcend their capacity for verbal expression. Play supports children to communicate, to explore and share feelings, to work through something difficult in their life. The Association for Play Therapy, the organization through which I am credentialed, notes the particular effectiveness of the modality for work with children 3–12, and they also state that adults can benefit, too!

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Teenagers and adults have also benefited from play techniques and recreational processes. To that end, use of play therapy with adults within mental health, agency, and other healthcare contexts is increasing (Pedro-Carroll & Reddy, 2005; Schaefer, 2003).

What I propose is considering play as a muscle that we tone daily so that the practice and its benefits become second nature, much like physical exercise or meditation. Play can include a day of adventuring or a dedicated hour of your favorite activity, and can be as simple as small, playful moments weaved throughout the day. If play and creativity are part of your healing journey with a therapist, coach, or other healer, amazing! If not, have no fear. The world is your playground and no matter your age, play awaits.

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Let’s define play as engaging in an activity for the purpose of sheer enjoyment. There is no productive end goal, other than to simply be present and let the joy flow. If this sounds impossible, don’t worry… like I said, this is a muscle!

Just so you are aware, side effects of intentional play for adults may include boosts in creativity, a flood of happy hormones, and stronger connections with your loved ones.

Now let’s talk ideas! No need to feel intimidated. We want our play to feel natural, less like a chore, and more like a reconnection to who we are, our childlike heart. Check out the following 11 ideas as inspiration points for your playful journey, and let me know how you feel most alive through play!

1. Pump the jams. Listen in the shower, on your commute, or while doing chores. This is an easy way to add fun into your day. Try a mood-boosting playlist on Spotify or a nostalgic album that makes you smile.
2. Read or listen to fiction. Take a break from the news and self-help content and indulge in a novel just because. Even just for a few minutes before sleep, reading stories has been proven to reduce stress, improve sleep, boost life satisfaction, and stimulate creativity. Audible even offers a free 30-day trial for their extensive collection of audiobooks.
3. Mix up your week. Trying new things in adulthood is hard, but often we surprise ourselves with how great it feels once we get over our anxiety about doing it. My starter suggestions? Add a new recipe (or takeout place) into the mix this week, go for a walk during your lunch break, or pick a new intention word every morning to focus your day. Small changes create large shifts.
4. Try a little gratitude. Trite as it sounds, living with a grateful heart really DOES create more opportunities for play and enjoyment. Once I started gratitude journaling once per day, I quickly became more attuned to the little gifts offered by the world (think crunchy leaves on the sidewalk, a favorite song wafting out of a storefront, and kind gestures from others).
5. Be the most vibrant version of you! I always get a little boost of joy when I wear a colorful kimono, don a pink hat, or rock some puffball earrings. Painting my nails makes computer-heavy workdays more fun. While this looks different for everyone (and some might find that dressing down feels more exciting), small, intentional choices feel playful and are simple ways to jazz up life and alter our mood.
6. Go outside. Nature naturally cultivates awe and wonder, essential qualities of play and viewing the world through fresh eyes. Try a walk around the block without your phone, a picnic with friends, or a visit to a local plant shop. Just being present with the natural world can quiet the noise of adult life and allow inner child reconnection.
7. Embrace your inner artist. We are all artists with creativity in our hearts, but many of us received messages that led us to hide our truest expression. I encourage you to break out the markers, pour out the craft supplies, or grab ingredients for a fun concoction in the kitchen. Your life is a canvas and when we engage more with the process and less with the result (which is what play is all about), beautiful things can happen.
8. Puzzles galore! Quarantine brought puzzling into my life and I could not be more thrilled. Crosswords and jigsaws have become fun little intermissions throughout my day that allow me to sneak in mindful play when I need a break. A New York Times’ Games subscription was one of my favorite gifts and includes crosswords, Spelling Bee, and more.
9. Schedule spontaneity. Block out one hour once per week or month where nothing is scheduled and let yourself do something just for the sake of doing it. Rather than an errand or goal-oriented task, allow this time to be spent doing something you love, preferably without a screen. List your favorites so when the moment hits you spend time doing, not deciding.
10. Game night is cool again. Board games were a favorite of mine growing up. Clue, anyone!? There are so many fun ways to get games going IRL or virtually. I challenge you to make it a regular thing with your family or friends.
11. Join a group (and actually go). It takes courage to jump into something new, and joining a local meetup can provide natural opportunities for play and connection with others. There is a Meetup group for almost every hobby around and adult sports leagues in lots of cities and suburbs for every experience level. Trust that you are awesome and worthy of play, and get out there!

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I hope you will sprinkle some play into your life this week. I know it might feel frivolous at first to be focused on adding play to life when our world is hurting, but this is exactly what is needed. The world needs your aliveness and passion (I love this podcast episode from Sahara Rose that speaks to this)! It needs you to feel refreshed and vibrant so you can dedicate energy towards what you care about. This means you can have difficult experiences, empathize with the struggles of others, AND still find some lightness that exists simultaneously.

Happy playing!