Finding Time to Play

Pink French Jersey Dress with Rainbows.

Throughout our lives, we spend huge amounts of time doing stuff.

We go to work; it has to be done,

We have chores at home - it'd be pretty grim if we didn't

We have duties to family - ever feel it's always you they call?

So how much time do we get to spend playing and having fun?

By that, I don't mean zoning out to TV as a wind-down before bed.

Or texting on your phone, having a rant.

I mean doing something just because you really enjoy it. Something just for fun.

Something that is nothing to do with your job and gives you a buzz.

I'm a creative person, and I enjoy a whole host of creative activities. Most of them are done to earn money, so they don't count as play.

I keep some activities separate - they are definitely for the fun of it. I get enormous pleasure from buying fabric and creating with it. I created the dress above from a t-shirt pattern and loved the process of playing with the design.

I play a few board games occasionally, especially if I can't get out. I intentionally find time to play a little each day, even if it's only doing Wordle online.

Why am I talking so much about play?

Because it's a wonderful way to keep our brains young. It's a fantastic cognitive exercise, and the enjoyment releases all those lovely happy chemicals to make us feel good.

So, if you're hoping to keep cognitive decline at bay, get your play hat on and have some fun.

Me, I'm going to roll down a hill with my daughter and grandchildren :-)