Playing hide and seek has always been a favorite of mine as a child and even now in my 40’s and sooooo what? Watching my nephews and niece laugh with excitement and joy is priceless. We don’t play anymore as adults, do we? The world has weighed us down and most of us have lost our childlike innocence. We are often afraid of what others will think if we are rolling around in the park with our children or sliding down the slide without any children (OK fine, questionable) or skipping down the street!

This is not just about getting back to your inner child; however, playing has a significant impact on our mental health. For the better and here’s how:

Play can reduce our stress. When we engage in play we naturally shift our focus to something. Yes, just like that! This helps us even for a few moments to feel less stressed. Our body also releases endorphins (the feel good hormone) so we feel good. This can help us to manage our symptoms of anxiety and depression.

We won! Winning a challenge or learning a new skill can help enhance our self-esteem and confidence contributing to a healthier view of self.

Our ability to adapt: When we are engaging in play, it entails trial and error. If the stakes aren’t that high we can sometimes feel more at ease with setbacks and losses. Adapting and managing low level stress can be helpful in managing stress when the stakes are in fact higher. So losing in a game of scrabble can be helpful! You’ve allowed yourself an opportunity to learn how to manage your stress (good on you!).

Learn to build connections: We are social beings and engaging in social activities not only breaks us out of our isolation, it can help enhance and build stronger relationships. When we participate in play, specifically in team activities, we are learning how to work together, deepen bonds and work through conflict when the opportunity arises.

Stimulating your brain: As we age we actively need to work on keeping our mind sharp (remember, our brain is a muscle. If we don’t use it, we lose it). Engaging in activities such as word puzzles or strategy games can help with our attention, memory and problem solving skills.

Are you feeling playful? If you are but don’t know how, here are some ways you can introduce play into your life:

Be spontaneous. If you feel like playing, being a little silly, then go ahead. Play. If something stops you from acting out on this desire, you can check in with yourself. What’s stopping you? Is it enough to stop you from having a little bit of fun? 

You have the option of scheduling in play. We schedule everything in our day-to-day lives, so go ahead and schedule in some playtime. 

If you have forgotten how to have a little bit of playful fun you can also try to learn a new hobby, try a different activity and asking google is always an option. You can also try this worksheet https://static.showit.co/file/bsyLudH7O2-UxYvcGS73ww/182439/play_worksheet.pdf to support you getting started in your playful journey AND if you wish to experience the joys of play and incorporate it into your life right now, first put down your device and get out. Go on, take care of your mental health, have some fun and PLAY! 

Authored by Kavita Patel RSW, MSW, psychotherapist & Co-Founder of ReLearning Human.