IT�S TIME TO PLAY!

From Less Stress Press
By Carolyn Dickman
Education Director, Midwest Center
Posted here with permission:

Remember when your mom said, �Get outside and play!� Yes. Maybe she just wanted some peace and quiet, but what a wonderful direction.

Have you ever wished someone would call you up and tell you to, �Go outside and play!� Well, from us to you, �GO PLAY!�

How long has it been since you gave yourself permission to go do something just because it�s fun? If you can�t remember when�it�s been too long. If we will look around at nature, we will see that everything is in a delicate balance. When that balance is disturbed, something uncomfortable usually happens. When we do not lead a balanced life, we slowly become uncomfortable.

One of the reasons there are twenty-four hours in a day is because it can be evenly divided by eight: eight hours of work, eight hours of sleep, and eight hours of play. Granted that�s ideal, but I�m sure that most of us could do a much better job of balancing our lives if we thought about it a bit.

In case you�ve forgotten�the benefits of play are many. Play enhances every aspect of our lives. Play necessitates ACTION, it gets our bodies moving, is good for circulation, muscle conditioning, increases our metabolism and helps use up the stress chemicals we may have manufactured during our day. Play gives us the opportunity to interact with others, such an important activity for us �people-people.� It helps us get out of ourselves and get into the present moment. Play reminds us to be more spontaneous, something that anxiety disorder sufferers need to practice.

We all know that laughter is good medicine; when we play, we are very likely to laugh. �Humor has a profound connection with physiological states of the body,� says Raymond A. Moody, M.D., (we did not make up that name to add humor to this article,) in Laugh after Laugh: The Healing Power of Humor. Dr. Moody says, �Over the years I have encountered a surprising number of instances in which patients have laughed themselves back to health, or at least have used their sense of humor as a very positive and adaptive response to their illnesses.�

In a recent study they found a correlation between our sense of humor and our I.Q. Sooo, if you want people to think you�re smart you�d better start smiling! And while you�re doing that��GO PLAY!�

~ Dolphin

[This message has been edited by Dolphin (edited 12-19-2001).]

Hi,

I�m going to the park to actively play on a swing today.

How are you actively going to play today?

~ Dolphin

[This message has been edited by Dolphin (edited 12-19-2001).]

Great article- i just read this in my workbook this morning- so I better not ignore the message. My son spent the night at Grama's so I'm going to have some fun time with my daughters. They each have a board game they want to play and we're going to do "make-overs"- play with make-up and hairstyles. Maybe we'll ignore the laundry and make chocolate chip cookies.... Let's have some fun and be in the present moment!

quote:

Originally posted by cutufa:
Dolphin:

What a great read!

I work with children ages 6 to 13, and part of my job is playing, and being in touch with what's out in the market for kids this age. I, myself, am a big kid so even when I'm not at work "playing" I play after "work."

The swings make me a bit dizzy so I stay away from them. I love board games, card games, hide-and-go-seek, sardines, and of course my Nintendo 64!

Tag, you're it!

Hi Cutufa,

It seems fortunate that playing is a part of your work. I understand that�s not all of your work, and I hope you don�t have to work too hard at playing (if you know what I mean.)

Tag, now you're it!

~ Dolphin

[This message has been edited by Dolphin (edited 12-24-2001).]

Hey Dolphin!

Great topic

I had the best time today!!! It's my day off and I went to the pumpkin patch!
I picked the biggest one I could carry!!! It went OVER the scale at 35 lbs.! I am guessing it was close to 40. I also got some corn husks and some mums.

It is a glorious day here! The drive was breathtaking w/ all of the colors of fall w/ a background of a blue sky, puffy clouds, and the magestic Mt. Rainier!

I love the change of the seasons!

Have fun swingin'!
Diane

quote:

Originally posted by Dolphin:


[b]IT�S TIME TO PLAY!

From Less Stress Press
By Carolyn Dickman
Education Director, Midwest Center
Posted here with permission:

Remember when your mom said, �Get outside and play!� Yes. Maybe she just wanted some peace and quiet, but what a wonderful direction.

Have you ever wished someone would call you up and tell you to, �Go outside and play!� Well, from us to you, �GO PLAY!�

How long has it been since you gave yourself permission to go do something just because it�s fun? If you can�t remember when�it�s been too long. If we will look around at nature, we will see that everything is in a delicate balance. When that balance is disturbed, something uncomfortable usually happens. When we do not lead a balanced life, we slowly become uncomfortable.

One of the reasons there are twenty-four hours in a day is because it can be evenly divided by eight: eight hours of work, eight hours of sleep, and eight hours of play. Granted that�s ideal, but I�m sure that most of us could do a much better job of balancing our lives if we thought about it a bit.

In case you�ve forgotten�the benefits of play are many. Play enhances every aspect of our lives. Play necessitates ACTION, it gets our bodies moving, is good for circulation, muscle conditioning, increases our metabolism and helps use up the stress chemicals we may have manufactured during our day. Play gives us the opportunity to interact with others, such an important activity for us �people-people.� It helps us get out of ourselves and get into the present moment. Play reminds us to be more spontaneous, something that anxiety disorder sufferers need to practice.

We all know that laughter is good medicine; when we play, we are very likely to laugh. �Humor has a profound connection with physiological states of the body,� says Raymond A. Moody, M.D., (we did not make up that name to add humor to this article,) in Laugh after Laugh: The Healing Power of Humor. Dr. Moody says, �Over the years I have encountered a surprising number of instances in which patients have laughed themselves back to health, or at least have used their sense of humor as a very positive and adaptive response to their illnesses.�

In a recent study they found a correlation between our sense of humor and our I.Q. Sooo, if you want people to think you�re smart you�d better start smiling! And while you�re doing that��GO PLAY!�

[/B]

quote:

Originally posted by Mint Flower:
Great article- i just read this in my workbook this morning- so I better not ignore the message. My son spent the night at Grama's so I'm going to have some fun time with my daughters. They each have a board game they want to play and we're going to do "make-overs"- play with make-up and hairstyles. Maybe we'll ignore the laundry and make chocolate chip cookies.... Let's have some fun and be in the present moment!

Hi Mint Flower,

Playing with your children seems like a precious way to makeover your self to better enjoy the present moment.

Additionally...

Not only do "we make ourselves over" when playing with children but for me, there is also a sense of honesty that children bring into play which is not often found in adult-adult interations.

Not to mention the social, cognitive, emotional, and physical skills that are learned from simply playing. Playing is hard work.

You're, it!
No touch backs. Called it!

Great topic Dolphin - One of my favorite spontaneous playtime activities is blowing bubbles. I bought some for my grandson while he was here during the summer and still have them in my kitchen cabinet. Every now and then I'll take them out and have lots of fun.

Calico

Dolphin,
Great topic! I just got home a little while ago from my first concert in almost a year. (Where's Skyeyes to tell her the wonderful news? ) Anyway, I hadn't gone to one in a long time (I'm "normally" a concert FREAK!). I am a little wound up still, but that's all right... It was a very good show. I got to see Trisha Yearwood...and it was one of the best sounding (the acoustics were awesome!) concert I have been to (and I have been to many!). I just wanted to share my play time and acheivements!
Take care!
Cindy

Great topic. Yes, fun is great therapy for me. I love to dance, and when I go dancing, it makes feel so alive and happy. It got me through the death of my husband several years ago, and for the last five years I had a dance partner/companion, but recently we broke up, but I am doing okay and am finding other dance clubs to go to for my dance therapy. Breaking up has been painful, but I grew a great deal over the last five years and now I am on a new adventure. It will take time, but I am surviving this breakup.

Tomorrow I have the best play time of all. I go "trick or treating!!"

That's right, I get dressed up for Halloween, grab my pillow case and "trick or treat" for about 2 hours with my nephews.

I can't wait


[This message has been edited by cutufa (edited 10-30-2001).]

IT�S TIME TO PLAY !

~ Dolphin

[This message has been edited by Dolphin (edited 12-19-2001).]

Dolphin,
You are being so silly!!!!!!!!!

Another cool dolphin

PlaYinG SiLly CoOl aGaIn ToDaY !