Photo by Laura Ohlman on Unsplash

When was the last time you “played?”

Maybe it was a board game. Maybe it was an icebreaker at work. Or maybe it was playing pretend war or house with your kids.

My kids have reminded me just how important (and fun) play can be.

For some reason, when we get older, we forget about play and we get serious thinking that’s somehow better. We graduate school, we get a job, we get married and have kids and then all of the sudden, we forget how to imagine. We forget that sometimes it’s okay just to play, to experiment, and see what happens. We are shackled by the need for security or ambition so we’re seen as making lots of money to buy big houses and new cars.

Don’t get me wrong, money and stability are important. The point is that we often lose our creative self and in general just get less fun.

Seeing my kids take such joy in playing legos for hours reminds me of simpler times. Seeing their imagination wonder as they build forts outside or in the basement amazes me. It seems like they could never tire of play.

And we all know there are so many benefits of play. Children who play more experience better emotional stability, practice leadership skills, gain social confidence, gain creativity among so many other things.

To read more about the benefits of Play, read more here: The Power of Play by the Minnesota Children’s Museum.

And as adults, we love to see our kids play. But, sadly rhythms of life in our culture find ways to disrupt play. Whether it’s 7-8 hours at school or being led by adult-led activities or sports, kids nowadays treasure the little time they have to use their imagination.

So, here are 3 ways that our family proactively creates opportunities for Play:

Maintain a Slower Pace of Life

This one is particularly hard for me sometimes, because I truly enjoy doing everything. But the more we say no, the more we say yes to what we really want for our family culture. Choosing a few activities for our family to engage in at at time protects space in our lives to play more. Life still is busy with 4 boys, there’s no getting around that. But we try our best to be careful to maintain a few hours a day for “free time.” So, the next time you’re looking to fill up your schedule again, think again. Consider what you’re giving up by giving in to the next sign up.

Play with your Kids

Yep I said it. You have permission to be a kid again. Not only do you encourage your kids to embrace their imagination, you get to relieve some stress, escape from the real world and fight some dragons with your kids. Show your kids you still have that spirit inside of you and want to connect with them on their terms. Kids are constantly being told what to do and what not to do. What better chance at building a strong connection by giving them the power to lead playtime with you. Give it a shot this week. Spend 30 minutes playing with your child doing what they want to do.

Set up the Environment

Invite friends over, let the kids play. Create connections with families in your neighborhood and make it easy for them to get together. Make space in your house where the kids have free roam, a “lab” where they can experiment, tinker, make lego creations, and make their own forts. Kids will only play as much as we make their environments easy to do it.

If we are constantly restricting their environments by pushing them from activity to activity, we are creating an atmosphere of chronic stress. Create an environment of slow and gradual transitions, things to experiment with, and people to do it with.

The Takeaway

It’s never too late to slow down and enjoy the little things. I hope that you and your kids find sometime to play soon. And if you do, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.