http://gokids.com.au/play-and-adults

In the last blog, we talked about play. PLAY is the language every child knows and is vital for children’s development.

How about Adults?

Is play just as important for adults as for children?

With the ever increasing workload, parenting duties, financial stress, we as adults are forgetting about our own physical and emotional wellness. We are constantly rushing, and worrying about our work and finances, children and the household… which potentially causes anxiety, stress and eventually diseases in our body systems.

What childhood games did you play? Did you sing in the band? Do you remember how you felt when you were playing?

Fun? Happy? Relaxed?

Reconnecting to yourself

I believe right now, right here… today! Now is the right time to give ourselves permission to play again and to re-discover the joy and pleasure of playing as in our childhood.  Start laughing again, distract yourselves from the stresses of day to day responsibilities and bring joy and vitality back into your lives and relationships. Reconnect with yourself again, and also reconnect with your childhood friends.

Reconnecting as a couple

It is also a great idea for couples to play a sport together. Through playing together, they experience fun, joy and bring vitality and resilience to their relationship.

Physical Health

We talked about how play helps physical development in children. As an adult, we can maintain our health and vitality through physical movements. We can engage in Tai Chi, morning walks, a game of golf, basketball, netball, soccer…

Social Health

There are no restrictions on age or language for play. I have seen people who are in their eighties playing five great rounds of golf…

Play is one activity that has no language barrier. People from different parts of the world with no common language, will still be able to play and enjoy a game of sport together. A great example is the Olympics; not only does it promotes harmony, it also creates connections among the athletes as well as the countries all over the world, and that includes the spectators.

Connect with your children

Play is one of the best ways to connect with your children. Imagine jumping on the trampoline together with your children, having a cricket match in the backyard, kicking a soccer ball together or accompanying your children to a sports game. Laughter and Fun are two fantastic ingredients that enable you to connect and communicate with your children.

So don’t forget, play is not only recommended for children, it is vital for us adults as well.