The Importance of Play In Adulthood

Why Play Is So Important in Adulthood

When was the last time you played ~ truly played ~ without purpose, productivity or pressure?

During my 20 plus years as an Early Childhood Teacher I spent much of my time educating people about the importance of play in childhood. When babies, toddlers and children play they learn about their world and the life in which they live. Now that I am in my 50’s it has come to my attention about the importance of play during perimenopause and menopause seasons.

Play? You ask, in adulthood? For women?

Please let me set the scene. Most women have spent the majority of their life looking after someone, whether that is their siblings, parents and or their children. I have talked about the pressures of women, I guess you could call us, midlife women, being in that sandwich of time where they are looking after growing children and their aging parent/s. You can read about it here.

Women in Their 40s and 50s: The Forgotten Season of Play.

This period of time is tough. Extremely tough. It is during this time that many midlife women feel they have no space left for hobbies, let alone play. We have been busy raising, caring and worrying about our children during the early childhood period.

Many of us even have less time to ourselves. Once our children are hitting the preteen ages and teenage years, it is the mums who run their children around acting as taxi drivers at all times of morning, noon and night. And let’s face it, when some quiet time is available we mother's are so exhausted that nothing feels better than laying on the lounge and getting engrossed in Netflix. But then again, that could just be me.

But what happens when your teenager finally gets their license (and you are becoming accustomed to that feeling of fear when said children are driving a car) and you can finally get off the lounge?

Returning to Childhood Joy

Well I believe that it is important for us to learn once again how to play. I know it sounds ridiculous and where do you even start? I have come to realise that the best way to do this is to go back to your own childhood. And ask yourself: what did you love to do when your were younger?

During an Instagram session I came across this wonderful quote

Quote by Rachael Niutta, shared via @womenwhorunwiththemoon

Let me tell you, I had so many beautiful women respond with how they had found the joy of play and tried to incorporate it into their lives as much as possible. And the ways in which they now play included the following; drawing and colouring in, skating, Lego, puzzles, exploring the beach, listening and dancing to music, reading, writing. Actually the list was endless. And gosh it was a great read. You could feel the happiness and endless energy of the effects of that involvement in play causing through the messages.

So what was it that you loved to do when you were a kid? Can you remember back to the time when you were so involved in play that you forgot you childhood worries?

For me I loved playing with my barbie dolls, riding my bike and swimming. I have absolutely loved getting back into those interests as an adult. (Well I have collected some Barbie dolls, but I don’t play with them, just admire them :)) But the one thing that I have loved this year is getting back to one of my other favourite hobbies and that is being surrounded by paper and stationery.

For years when I was busy doing all the ‘things’ I would aid this love by purchasing stationery. Ah, lots of it. It would be impossible for me to resist a beautiful pen or paper or a magazine featuring paper. (I am looking at you Flow Magazines). When we moved I realised just how much I had been ‘collecting’ for this hobby of mine. Emptying the boxes I realised that I needed to do something with all of these bits of stationery and magazines that I had collected for a very long time. Below is a small collection of stationary that I have told myself that I need to use before we move house again.

Discovering Junk Journaling in Midlife

During Pinterest sessions I started to see more posts about junk journaling. I was intrigued. I had not heard of this expression before. Throughout the years I have journalled on and off. Lately I have been writing morning pages when I feel the urge to wrestle with my thoughts. I have enjoyed the process of reflection when I create each row of my Slow Grannysquare Blanket Project. And although I would love to be able to draw successfully, I end up giving up on drawing journals with frustration. However the more I researched ‘junk journalling’ the more I realised that junk journaling is about what you want it to be.

So let me introduce you to my junk journal. I have found it a fantastic way to be surrounded by my childhood love of paper and stationery.

I am adding to the my junk journal throughout the week with morning pages, pattern writing, slow granny square blanket reflections and notes about ideas for projects and patterns. And I love that everything is in the one place, instead of being in different books and files. I know that the size of the folder is large, but it's staying at home. You can see a flip through my junk journal on my Instagram page here.

What I have loved about it most of all is decorating/collaging the actual folder. I remember back in years 11 + 12, I spent so much time in covering my folders with pictures from magazines creating collages. (It is a shame I didn’t show such enthusiasm for my actual studies ) Now, every week I make a date with myself and I sprawl out on the dining table. I surround myself with scissors and sticky tape and I become immersed in the process of it all.

And really, that is what it is all about isn't it? When you were little and you were lost in those beautiful moments of play when you forgot everything and you were in the flow. The product was not what mattered. It was the process. And that is what I am loving. Those beautiful moments when I forget about the stress of now, the worry about what is to become, the trauma that is behind me and the sadness in my heart.

How to Introduce Play Into Your Life

The importance of play in adulthood becomes even clearer during midlife. So I implore you. If you can remember back and think about what filled you with joy. And connect with it. See if those fun activities you adored as a child brings you back to those delightful memories. Maybe the fun might just be in the exploring.

To begin you could;

• Make a list of what you loved to do when you were 8 years old

• Choose one of the activities that lights a spark and try it for 30 minutes this week

• Don't over analyse this, focus on the process, not the end result

• If you can make this time when the family is out, or remove yourself to a room, pop on some music, have your favourite drink beside you and just enjoy

I would love to know if you have found anything from your childhood that brings you those joyful moments of play.

I’ll be here, surrounded by paper and stationary. Please remember

Play is not childish

It is restorative

It is grounding

It can be healing.

And sometimes in midlife we have to give ourselves permission to find ourselves again. Permission to be curious. Permission to be messy. Permission to explore. Permission to begin again.

Remember to do something just for yourself today,

Melissa.