No matter how old you are, you can benefit from a bit of fun and play in your life!
There's so many reasons to play. You learn more quickly. You move better. You have more creative ideas. You improve your brain function. You feel more optimistic and energetic. You enjoy life more simply because you're having more fun.
If you're stuck for inspiration on how to add a bit more playfulness into your life, here's 101 playful ideas to start:
Watch a funny video to get a good belly laugh
Play a board game
Think up 3 different ways to sit in your chair
Use your fork in the other hand
Do some colouring in
Climb a tree or hang from a branch
Scribble or doodle
Play fetch or tug of war with your dog
Play with Lego or blocks
Make up some funny walks
Kick a ball around
Write or draw with your left hand
Make up a story and write it down or tell a friend
Play with your cat
Get some chalk and draw on the pavement
Cut your vegetables or food into funny shapes (or use a cookie cutter)
Dress up with a silly hat or outrageous shirt
Talk or sing like a pirate
Play hopscotch (use chalk to draw one on pavement)
Lie on your back and fake laugh (ha,ha,ha) and see if you can help yourself from laughing for real
Do a bear walk
Avoid or jump on the cracks on your next walk
Follow a blue car for 5 minutes and see where you end up
Play in the waves at the beach
Play a string game (aka cat’s cradle)
Make a sandcastle or dig a trench in the garden
Collect leaves or shells and make a pattern or Mandela
Blow bubbles
Get some play dough and create different shapes
Make a handmade card or paper craft
Put on some face paint or wear different make up
Make a newspaper hat
Do some origami
Pick some flowers and arrange them in a vase
Play a card game (try using real cards instead of online)
Do a jigsaw
Put on your fav tune and dance like no-one is watching!
Sing karaoke or lip sync (use your hairbrush or a wooden spoon as your mic)
Poke your tongue out and make faces
Have a swing at the playground
Make a daisy chain
Drum with your hands to make a tune or pattern - use the benchtop, your thighs, clapping your hands, the floor - whatever makes noise
Read a sentence backwards or say words backwards
Play with flavours and try different ingredients together!
Play wordle game (warning this is addictive!), do a crossword or wordfinder
Skip!
Bake some cupcakes and ice them in random colours
Read or tell a joke
Pretend you're a superhero (what would superwoman do?) for a minute, an hour or all day
Order something different on the menu
Go out and pretend to be a tourist in your own town
Make an obstacle course in your lounge or out on the lawn (use chairs, broomstick, blankets, sticks, balls)
Juggle a few items (hint: let them drop!)
Hula hoop (or belly dance if you haven't got a hoop)
Do a handstand, cartwheel or crawl
Eat something off your plate using only your mouth (no hands)
Put on the silliest outfit you can make from your own wardrobe
Draw lines in the sand or garden with a stick
Play naughts and crosses
Stack rocks to see how high you can go
Play with a yo-yo or spinning top
Make up an itinerary of your dream holiday and lay out (or write down) what you would pack
Sit in nature (or look out the window) and do let your mind wander for 10 minutes
Do your favourite craft activity
Play with water pistols, sprinkler or a hose
Play an outdoor game e.g. tag, quoits, cornhole, petanque, croquet
Write a letter to your future self
Re-lace your shoes in a different pattern
Take a silly photo of yourself (and /or your kids or pets)
Play knucklebones
Whistle a tune (bonus: see if others can guess what it is)
Play charades
Paint a picture - maybe try finger painting
Play I-spy (with my little eye)
Cut up some magazines and make a collage
Try a youtube dance video (or make up your own dance steps)
Make up a secret handshake
Learn how to say hello and sign your name in NZ sign language
Do a rolly polly (a forward roll) or roll from side to side on the floor
Try interlacing your toes (use your hands to help!)
Make some funny noises or talk in goobledy gook
Read aloud and do the voices of each character
Collect interesting objects on your walk (leaves, rocks, shells, sticks or take photos of things / colours you like)
Run around your garden or park in a zig-zag (pretend you’re running away from the zombies or a crocodile)
Make shadow figures with your hands and a torch
Rearrange your spice jars, books or ornaments by colour or height
Walk around the block in a different direction
Eat in the dark or with a blindfold
Pretend you're a tree swaying in the breeze - shift your weight and wave your arms gently about
Lie on the floor and have a pretend temper tantrum!
Have a sword fight with long grass, long stemmed flowers or pool noodles
Play air guitar
Smooth chocolate wrappers or tinfoil without ripping it
Paint your nails or toenails different colours or add a pattern
Pretend the floor is lava and make your way between furniture or places in backyard or over jungle gym
Play elastics (channel the 80s playground here!)
Write a word with your tongue inside your cheek or air draw a word with your arm
Look through binoculars at things close up and far away
Play connect the dots or drawing patterns (with paper, freckles on arm, stars in sky, cracks in pavement)
Cut out paper shapes / people from folded paper
Twiddle your thumbs
Let your imagination run wild. I made this list up lying on the couch. I had fun just making the list! What things did you come up with? How do you add some fun or play into your life? Let me know in the comments.